WaterFlame
by Corianin
Summary: In a move that is originally intended as a temporary solution to their problems, Zuko and Katara agree to a formal betrothal. But it seems that despite their best intentions, temporary isn't in the plans. In a world still reeling from a war some think should never have ended, the duo must face enemies both foreign and domestic in their quest for peace and happiness.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: So I've had this idea bouncing in my head since before I came up with my other story, _The First Time_. It's very much a work in progress at the moment, and I am not quite sure how frequently I'll be able to update it, juggling my other three main story lines (Ages, Strange Paths, and the Resonance Series) as I am. I really like this one, though, and I have no doubt it will be completed, but for now I just wanted to get the first chapter uploaded because I'm installing a new laptop hard drive tomorrow and I want to make sure I have a copy of this chapter online, not just on jump drives and in my email. It's ultimately a Zutara, as will be very obvious, but there's going to be some other stuff in here, and as it goes along it will get much darker. So, for now, I give you the first chapter. If all goes well I might be uploading another one in a week or so. Ta!

* * *

"You WHAT?" Her screech blasted through the door and into the hallways, causing servants and guards alike to cringe. Though she was known throughout the world as a a legitimate hero and the best friend of the Fire Lord, Katara was also famous for her temper...especially lately. There was an almost inaudible murmur from the other side of the door, and then her voice raised once more.

"You know what? I'm not doing this any more. I can't. Just...get out of my room! I can't believe you! GO!" The door was flung open and a thirteen year old boy darted out as though his life depended on it, running a shaky hand down over the tattoo on his forehead. Suddenly realizing he was standing in the middle of the guest wing hallway with various palace help staring at him in shock, he chuckled nervously.

"I, uh...I guess I should give her some time to cool down," he muttered before turning and heading out of the immediate vicinity. He wasn't quite running, but it looked as if he wanted to, and the guards exchanged looks. Having been assigned to Master Katara by the Fire Lord's express orders when the group of friends had been given leave to stay at the palace as long as they wished, they'd learned that there were times to speak, and times to not. This was definitely a time to not. Schooling their expressions to calm stoicism, they looked thoroughly professional when the brunette spitfire burst into the hallway, eyes flashing with anger.

"Did you see where the Avatar went?" she asked, her voice icy. Without a word they both pointed in the direction the savior of the world had disappeared. She huffed and muttered something that sounded like 'if he knows what's good for him he'll stay gone for a while.' The guards didn't react.

"Do you know if Zuko – I mean, Fire Lord Zuko is busy right now?" she asked, slightly more calm. The elder of the two men, a grizzled warrior named Cazin, answered.

"His last meeting should have ended about twenty minutes ago. He had plans to take his midday meal in the Royal Gardens, I believe."

"Thank you, Cazin, Baru," she said with a gracious nod. "I'm going to ask you to stay here by my door while I go speak with Zuko. If anyone comes looking for me, tell them I'm indisposed. Unless it's the Avatar. If he returns feel free to beat him to a pulp. Tell him I said you could." With that statement she stormed off down the hallway, completely missing the amused expressions her guards traded as she left.

"I wonder when she'll realize she's left her outer robes in her room?" Baru said mildly. Cazin just shook his head. Being assigned to the vibrantly tempered waterbender was many things...but dull was never one of them.

* * *

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the tree, the warm weight of a baby turtleduck on one outstretched leg as it drifted off to sleep with tiny little contented quacks. The day had been horrid, and it wasn't even half over. A deep sigh escaped him as he tried to brush his frustration and anger aside. A moment later a soft voice from nearby startled his eyes open.

"The fierce Fire Lord, sitting beneath a tree with a baby turtleduck. Now that's an image to strike fear into mens' hearts." He glanced over his head at Katara with a grin. She was standing somewhat behind him and looking down with a fond expression on her face.

"This is my first chance to relax in days. If I want to sit with a turtleduck I can. At least he's not badgering me about policies and traditions."

"Well, in that case, might there be room for one more under this lovely tree?" He waved her over to sit beside her, and nearly choked as she walked into his field of view.

"Katara – where are your robes?" His voice cracked slightly, his golden eyes wide, and for the first time she looked down at herself. She was wearing a standard pair of flowing pants after the Fire Nation style, all slim waist and loose legs. Nothing wrong there. But then she realized that instead of the matching outer robes she was clad only in her skimpiest set of upper bindings, and she gasped in shock. It was one thing to dress like that when they were off saving the world, camping in the wilderness and training the Avatar, but here in the palace – she flushed a deep enough red to rival her pants.

"I...oh, La, I forgot them in my room!" She slumped to the ground and dropped her face into her hands. "I was practicing this morning and I took them off so I could move easier, and then Aang showed up and I just got so pissed at him...quick, Zuko, give me your tunic!" she pleaded, blue eyes bright with embarrassment. He couldn't help himself. He laughed out loud. It was rare to see Katara so discomfited, and he delighted in it...as well as the view her forgetfulness afforded him, though he'd never admit it. With careful motions – he didn't want to wake up the small creature currently snoozing on his thigh – he shrugged out of his formal tunic and handed it to her. She slipped into it and he had the idle thought that the deep red and black looked exceptionally good on her.

"So what did Aang do this time?" he asked, knowing she'd need to vent before she could see anything logically. Sure enough she jumped at the opening he so graciously gave her.

"He told my father that he and I were going to get married in Spring, and that I'd be moving with him to the Eastern Air temple for a few years to get it rebuilt and to start our family."

"And this is...not true?" Zuko asked cautiously. Her frustrated gaze was all the answer he needed, but she spoke anyway.

"No, it is _not_ true. He's never even asked me to marry him. He just assumed my acceptance. Now my father thinks we're betrothed, and soon the whole tribe will think that, and I don't even want to get married yet and I don't know if I want to marry Aang anyway – Tui and La, he's only thirteen! What does he know about marriage or being a husband or anything like that? I doubt he even knows what sex is, beyond whatever basics he learned from the monks! - and I know I'm going to blink and my entire life will be gone without my realizing it and everything I want to do and be will just be swept away because the women of my tribe are supposed to be obedient wives and mothers and I'd never be allowed to live my own life if I went home, even if I didn't marry Aang, and – oh, Zuko, I could just kill him." She slumped back, flinging her legs out in front of her and grumbling to herself while the young man beside her goggled at her ability to say so many words without taking a breath.

"It seems marriage is the topic of the morning," he lamented quietly, looking at her with a commiserating grimace.

"You too?"

"Yeah. There is apparently no precedent for a Fire Lord without a wife, and my council has taken it upon themselves to find me a bride."

"But I thought you and Mai were together?" He sighed and gazed out over the lake, one finger idly petting the tiny creature that slept so trustingly on his lap.

"She changed her mind."

"Oh, Zuko, I'm so sorry." He shook his head.

"It's fine. It was an amicable split. We've both changed...I have to be the Fire Lord, but she realized that she didn't want to be the Fire Lady. Our journeys made us into two people who share a common past, but aren't a good fit for a common future. It's all okay. We're still friends, and I hear she's been named successor to her father's house since his death last month. He sighed. "Unfortunately, that means the vultures have begun circling. I've had proposals submitted on behalf of hundreds of nobility from all three nations – you think a thirteen year old boy is bad? One of the Earth Kingdom nobles offered me his eleven year old daughter." He shuddered.

"That's...just wrong," Katara said in disgust. Zuko nodded.

"So now in addition to hearing over and over again why this change or that shouldn't be implemented because 'that's not how we've done it before'..." his voice had climbed to a higher pitch and Katara had to smother a laugh in her hand. "...now I'm bombarded with reasons why this woman would be a suitable bride or that one would make a wonderful partner." He smacked his head back against the tree in frustration. "It's driving me mad. I'm almost ready to tell them I fancy guys just to get them all to shut the hell up for a while."

"Do you?" the waterbender asked impishly. Zuko turned his head and glared at her.

"I most certainly do not," he declared firmly. "If I did I wouldn't have noticed you wearing just your bindings...erm...I mean – I didn't..." To his shock she flushed red, and he felt an answering blush on his own cheeks. He decided it would be a good time to change the subject.

"So...you mentioned not wanting to give up your plans for the future. What kinds of things do you want to do?" She seemed as thankful for the topic switch as he was and answered with alacrity.

"I'd like to travel a bit, to explore the different nations without being chased by a crazy banished prince or worrying about the end of the world." Her grin softened her words and he gave in to the thoroughly childish desire to stick his tongue out at her. She giggled like a little girl and continued. "Really, though, I'd like to be an ambassador of some sort. I love working with people, and even though the war is over there are still so many out there that are suffering. I'd like to help them. Maybe someday I could gather some other waterbender healers and some medical staff from around the world and open up hospitals devoted to healing the scars of war." She sighed. "But now with everything today and all that Aang said and set up without asking me...I doubt I'll ever get that chance." He reached out a hand and grasped hers, drawing her sea-blue gaze to his.

"You need to talk to your father, explain that Aang was mistaken. Chief Hakoda loves you more than the whole world, Katara. I can't imagine him willingly accepting a path that would make you unhappy."

"I don't know. I mean, women in the Southern Tribe do have more freedoms – Gran Gran has seen to that. But he'll be crushed. He's always liked Aang and I just know the idea of having the Avatar as a son-in-law is thrilling to him."

"True, but he wouldn't want you to settle for being less than the amazing woman you are just because of some guy, no matter how much he approves of the match." She blinked at the compliment and he could swear he saw a brief line of pink across her cheeks, but when she spoke her tone betrayed nothing.

"What about you? I think they're asking too much of you all at once...repairing the damage from the war, rebuilding your nation, and now they want you to marry and be a husband as well? How well do they think that will work?" He sighed and closed his eyes again as she voiced exactly what he'd been thinking.

"I don't know. It makes me wish the Fire Nation had longer betrothal periods. I know if I had a year, maybe eighteen months, I could get this country into some semblance of order. But our betrothals are usually only six months. There's no way I can juggle all of it and still do my best for my people in that short amount of time. I feel so trapped."

"Maybe you should go through those proposals and find a good Water Tribe girl. Our betrothals are a minimum of a year – they like to make sure the couple is well suited, because divorce is something that is discouraged to the point of near impossibility."

"If that's the case, how did Aang get past it?" She sighed with exasperation.

"He told my father that since we'd been traveling together for so long it was obvious we were compatible, and said that should count towards the betrothal period."

"That sneaky little bastard."

"My thoughts exactly," she growled. "And since my father accepted those terms, I can't go back to renegotiate and demand the full year." She gave up and flopped backwards in the grass, only to sit up quickly into a proper position when she saw the servants coming with their lunch. He chuckled under his breath, but she heard him anyway.

"I'm sorry," she snarked in a low voice. "Brief moments of peaceful conversation have the effect of making me forget I'm under constant scrutiny."

"I wish I could forget that sometimes," he lamented, and then their food was being set down on a low tray a servant had placed between them and nothing more was said for a few moments. Once finished with their delivery duties the group of maids had retreated back to their posts, no doubt waiting just outside of earshot for the two to finish their food. Zuko dug in with relish – he'd skipped breakfast that morning because of a delegate meeting that had had to be pushed up an hour. He smiled to see that Katara was enjoying her meal as well. The cream-drenched pasta and vegetables in front of her was disappearing quickly and he wondered if she'd eaten after her bending practice that morning. Judging by how hungry she was, he guessed he wasn't the only one that had missed the morning meal. Companionable silence reigned, broken only by the occasional appreciative comment from the brunette in regards to the food she was devouring.

"You know, Zuko, I might just have to move into the palace permanently. You serve some amazing dishes here."

"Yeah, I know. That's what Sokka keeps telling me too." He grinned and she chuckled.

"Sokka thinks anything is good as long as there's a lot of it and it involves meat in one way or another." The two laughed together as they ate. It wasn't until Katara had finished her bowl of pasta, however, that Zuko felt truly wrong-footed for the first time that day. For some reason instead of mopping up the last of the creamy sauce with a piece of bread, the girl ran her finger around the inside of her bowl and then stuck the sauce-covered digit in her mouth, humming happily as she sucked it clean. She repeated this procedure until the bowl was empty.

Zuko felt like someone had punched him in the sternum.

Katara didn't notice a thing, moving on to the the dish of fruit salad and continuing their conversation.

"So what you need is to find someone to get betrothed to that wouldn't expect to become Fire Lady, right? Someone who would play along with it until you got your nation back on its feet and then back down so you could find a real wife." He was still reeling from her obviously unintentional display of erotic eating habits and as such it took a moment for his brain to catch up with what she had said. When it did, though, he just blinked.

"And where would you suggest I find such a girl? All of these proposals are serious with an eye to reigning beside me as Fire Lady." She hummed under her breath, stabbing a helpless piece of pineapple repeatedly as she wandered in thought.

"Let me think about it. I'm sure I can come up with something."

"Well, while you're thinking, you should also think about what you're going to say to your father. If you want a chance of living your own life, you'll have to talk to him, the sooner the better." She gave up mutilating the fruit and just ate it.

"I know. I just...I've changed so much, and he's having a hard enough time dealing with the fact that I'm not his little girl anymore. I don't want to disappoint him further."

"Seriously, 'Tara," he said, calling her by the nickname he only used when he wanted to make sure she listened to him. "What would disappoint him further – his daughter proving her worth as a strong and capable woman by standing up for what she wants out of life, for her beliefs and dreams, even if that means backing out of a situation that is seen as extremely favorable, or a kowtowing mouse who gives up on everything that's meaningful to her out of loyalty to a way of life she grew out of long ago?" She looked up and met his gaze, and he knew she saw the honesty and the admiration there. She smiled, small and hesitant but he could see the beginnings of the fire that burned within her.

"You know, Zuzu, you sounded a bit like a wise Fire Lord there for a minute." He rolled his eyes at her retaliatory nickname usage, but he knew she knew she was the only person he let get away with it.

"Well, I don't know if you heard, but I kind of am the Fire Lord. I have to act the part once in a while, right?" She just giggled and swiped the last bite of his custard, a challenging smile on her face. He glared at her in mock anger.

"That's it, woman. First you mock my wisdom and then you have the temerity to abscond with my favorite dessert? You know what this means."

"That you're a slow slug?" she taunted. His vicious glare was completely at odds with the way he gently lifted the baby turtleduck to the ground. It blinked sleepy eyes and nuzzled his hand for a moment before waddling off to the water to rejoin its family. With an imperious air he rose to his feet.

"To the bending arena with you! I see I must teach you your proper place." She jumped to her feet as well, smoothing his tunic over her hips as she matched him glare for glare, and he swallowed hard as much at the anticipatory smile on her face as he did at the fact that there was no way his men's tunic should showcase her womanly curves as well as it did. He shook his head and deliberately pushed his thoughts out of the gutter they had been careening towards.

"Very well. If you're so desperate to be beaten, my lord, I suppose it is my duty as your loyal subject to oblige." Her sarcastic curtsey had him fighting a grin.

"Impudent wench!" he declared with a voice dripping with feigned outrage.

"Egotistical chauvinist!" she retorted. Flinging teasing insults at one another, they made their way from the Royal Garden back into the palace proper until they reached the arena that he had ordered built for benders of all nations and skill levels to use for training. For a brief moment they both forgot that they were under the watchful eyes of everyone who cared to look, that the sight of the Fire Lord in his ceremonial pants and his thin undershirt walking and playfully arguing and nudging shoulders with the feisty waterbender who was apparently wearing his tunic would be something that would set the gossip fires burning. They didn't notice at all, in fact, the eyes that followed them or the whispers that raced alongside them. For this moment in time, this afternoon, they were simply Katara and Zuko, sniping at each other like they always did, on their way to spar against one another as usual. Just another day in the lives of two former enemies turned current best friends.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: I just wanted to say how happy I am that the first chapter of WaterFlame seemed to be so well received! I hope you all enjoy this one just as much, if not more. :)

* * *

By the time they reached the arena, it had dawned on them both that they'd gathered quite an audience. Katara saw them all first, and her gulp was audible to the young man beside her.

"Zuko...what are all these people here for?" She suddenly felt self-conscious. They'd sparred in front of others before, but this time it seemed that every noble and off-duty employee and diplomatic visitor in the palace had taken seats along the sidelines of the fighting bay. He shrugged.

"They probably heard us talking about whipping each other to a pulp and want to see the fight." She envied his nonchalance. Her heart was about to pound out of her chest. Especially when she noticed a couple of people whispering and pointing, saw the wide-eyed stares she and Zuko were getting. They stepped into the arena proper and she overheard the hint of a whisper...and turned bright red with embarrassment.

"Zuko!" she hissed, wanting to grab his arm and duck behind him but knowing exactly how that would be perceived. He turned to her, taking in how flustered she was.

"What is it?"

"I'm wearing your shirt! This looks...not good!" Her voice was a bare whisper, trying to convey the awkwardness of their situation, but he just grinned at her.

"Should have thought of that before you went traipsing around the palace half-dressed," he replied, his own voice low. She sputtered indignantly. "Besides, they're probably just thinking how much better it looks on you than on me." He turned away and walked to his position on the far side of the arena floor, leaving her gaping and trying to figure out exactly how to take his statement. She glared at him, seeing the smug look on his face.

"Well, Master Katara, are we going to fight or are you going to bow out gracefully now?" She bristled. Making the conscious decision to ignore the masses crowded around them, she narrowed her eyes and focused solely on the arrogant lordling before her. She didn't even have to think before she brought water to her hands, feeling the rush as it obeyed her commands implicitly.

"You want a fight, you've got it, Your Highness!" she called out to him, dropping into another mocking curtsey and flinging a wave of water at him in the same smooth movement. The battle had begun, and Katara was fighting to win.

He easily countered her first wave as she knew he would – they'd been sparring partners long enough that they could almost read each others' minds. He could nearly always tell by the look in her eyes which direction she would attack from – she could predict his next move with almost flawless perfection by the way he moved. They were evenly matched in power, in skill, and their battles were often very long and involved, ending only when they agreed to a draw. But Katara wasn't interested in a draw, not here, not with what seemed to be the whole world watching. Her pride wouldn't let her settle for anything less than victory.

She called on the knowledge she'd garnered from her training, the things she'd taught herself, and from incorporating fire and earth bending into her style. Across from her Zuko was doing the same. The grin on his face betrayed his absolute happiness and she knew she wore a matching one. As she shot water at him, as she pelted him with ice or darted around him on frozen waves of her own making, she reflected that she never felt as happy or as alive as she did when it was just the two of them and their elements. His movements complemented hers, motion for motion. Water whip was met by fire whip. The ice block she called to sweep around him quickly was thwarted when he used his jets of flame to dodge her and spin her off course. His quick succession fire blasts combined with her frosty daggers to turn the water to steam that hung in the air. Around and around the arena they moved, their steps and motions more graceful and complimentary than any dance. They lost track of time, of everything but each other and the sheer elation that came from commanding such untamed forces of nature. The sun had shifted quite far in its path when she got him with a lucky shot, drenching him with a wave he'd not been able to avoid, but her victory was short lived as he caught her in a ring of fire and forced her backwards. Using more water to cut a hole through the wall of flames she was treated to the admittedly impressive sight of a very wet firebender, his thin shirt clinging to him transparently. She swallowed hard and concentrated on the battle. Her efforts were rendered even more difficult when he raised his own body temperature, drying the water on his skin and accidentally setting the shirt aflame, the flimsy white material charring to ash in seconds and treating her to the view she'd admired so often while they were on the run.

She couldn't afford to stare, she knew, but it was obvious he'd been keeping up on his training even after the war had ended. Closing her eyes briefly to try and clear her mind, she called water with a move she knew he'd never seen before – mainly because it was one she'd developed just that morning. Moving her arms to her sides, she raised them over her head and spun gracefully, around and around and around, leaning her head back into the motion and feeling the water whip around her, smooth and proud, until she stood in the eye of a water funnel. Abruptly she stopped her spin and slid her right leg behind her, dipping low and bringing her hands down until her spread fingertips touched the ground. In the instant before her water dove at him she saw him standing there, slack-jawed, with an expression she would have sworn was awestruck desire, had it come from anyone but him. And then the funnel connected, a torrent of water slamming into the wide-eyed Fire Lord and smashing him to the ground with far more force than even Katara had realized was possible. She watched as he crumpled under the combined power of a hundred thousand gallons of water and her own intent; she was running before she knew it, his name screaming from her lips as she dashed to his side, knowing he had to be hurt, as hard as he hit. The arena was completely silent except for her breathing, it seemed, and then she was at his side and summoning her healing water to her hands as she ran them over his bare torso. His breathing was shallow, but aside from the bruises he'd earned by crashing into the floor she found that he was unharmed. She let out a sigh of relief and collapsed onto his chest. Watching him flattened like that brought to mind the Agni Kai with Azula and how scared she was that she had lost her closest friend to his sister's insanity, and she didn't realize she was crying, her tears sliding over his chest with every breath he took. What finally cut into her emotional haze were the sounds she was slowly beginning to hear again – namely, the cheers and applause. Confused, Katara looked up and around, only then remembering that there were about a zillion people watching as she pulverized the leader of the Fire Nation. She was suddenly horrified and frozen, completely unsure what to do next. The soft touch on her arm had her snapping her head to the side again, where Zuko's golden gaze met hers. She nearly sobbed in relief at the obviously alert expression on his face.

"I think you won this round," he said with a quiet cough. She sat up and poked his shoulder gently.

"Don't _ever_ scare me like that again, you hear me?"

"How was this _my _fault? Last I checked it was _you _that decided to dump the contents of the Fire Sea on my head with the force of Roku's dragon." She had the grace to look abashed, lowering her eyes to hide the worry she felt from his too-perceptive gaze.

"Yeah, about that...I'm sorry. I just developed this move this morning, and I guess I didn't realize just how powerful it could be."

"I have to say, you were beautiful. The move, I mean. The bending. Not that you aren't beautiful. You are. But I meant...um, yeah. The new move. It was...quite nice," he finished lamely, his face red, and suddenly she was reminded of the early stages of their friendship when he wasn't exactly sure what he could say to her or even how to say anything. She looked back at him and smiled, thanking all the gods that they had put this wonderful man in her life's path. Even if it had been a rocky start, she'd trade his friendship for nothing else the universe had to offer.

It seemed he was just noticing the applause and catcalls as well, if the deepening of the blush on his face was any indication. She leapt to her feet and he followed, slightly more slowly. With sheepish grins they bowed to their uninvited audience and Zuko addressed them. His voice rang out strong, commanding, and Katara was given yet another glimpse of the Fire Lord at full power. It was a heady thing to watch.

"Thank you all for your attendance at this _unplanned, impromptu _competition. As I'm sure you all saw, Master Katara is not someone you want to have on your bad side – not even if you're the Fire Lord. I am honored to have lost to such a formidable opponent...and I am more humbled than I could ever express that this opponent calls me friend." She knew she was as red as the flames that decorated the tunic she was still wearing, but then he turned to smile at her, golden eyes warm and caring, and she decided her embarrassment had been worth it.

* * *

The bender battle was the talk of the nation, it seemed. Anyone who had seen it was more than happy to recount it ad infinitum to those who had not, and it wasn't long before Katara was being greeted with bows and curtseys every time she left her room. It wasn't only the fact that she thoroughly pummeled the new Fire Lord, however, that had everyone talking. No, what got their attention was the obvious rapport between the two benders. People had been moved by her tears; they had been awed by his words. More than once she overheard someone voice the opinion that they would be well-suited as a couple. Those half-heard comments always caused her to flush, bringing to mind thoughts she'd been struggling for years to avoid thinking. Zuko was her best friend, her closest confidante. There was nothing that could ever compete with that. Regardless of what visions might torment and tempt her at night as she slept, she knew she would never risk losing him.

The morning after their fight she woke up early, dressed quickly, and made her way down the hallway to the wing that her father and the rest of the Water Tribe delegates and warriors had been given. Taking a deep breath she knocked on the door. Her father's friend Bato answered it, breaking out in a wide grin when he saw who was standing there.

"Katara! Oh, we are all so proud of you! That fight between you and the Fire Lord was amazing! Who'd have guessed our little Katara would ever be such a powerful bender?" She was ushered into the room as he continued to praise her – apparently both Bato and her father had been present for the sparring match – and the other men of the tribe called out their greetings and congratulations as well. She waited until her father's closest friend paused to take a breath and took the chance to interrupt.

"Bato, is my father here?"

"He's actually down at the docks, but he should be back any minute. Did you want to talk to him?"

"Yes, I would. When he gets back, could you ask him to come to my room?"

"Sure thing. Anything wrong?" She got the feeling he'd felt the underlying tension behind her words no matter how she'd tried to keep them light. Still, no matter how close he was to Hakoda, this was something only her father could help with. She shrugged and smiled.

"Nothing, really. I just have some things I want to ask him about."

"I'll pass on the message," he promised, and she thanked him and took her leave, trailed by renewed accolades and voices praising her good showing in the arena. Once outside the door she slumped against the wall and took a few deep breaths. Eventually she felt composed enough to make her way back to her room. Nodding at the guards she walked in...and squealed when she saw who was sitting on her bed.

"Toph!" she said happily, giving the shorter girl a hug. The earthbender reciprocated with her trademark shoulder punch. "I didn't know you were here! When did you get in?"

"Yesterday morning," Toph replied.

"Why didn't you come see me then?" Katara asked, and was treated to the mischievous grin she was so familiar with.

"I would have, if you hadn't been so busy beating your best friend half to death in the middle of a crowd of people. Honestly, when did your sparring matches become a spectator sport?" Katara groaned and dropped down on the bed beside the other girl.

"Since Zuko became Fire Lord and since I can't seem to remember to behave decorously in a palace," she grumbled. Toph laughed out loud.

"Still, I've gotta hand it to you, that was some finishing move! I've never felt power like that before – it was amazing! I was so glad I was front row." Katara growled, falling backwards onto the mattress.

"Thanks, but you have no idea how scared I was. I thought I might have..." She couldn't even finish her sentence. Her companion shook her head.

"Come on, Sugar Queen. You've faced the guy a hundred times. You of all people should know it takes a lot more than that to take Sparky out for good."

"I know, I know, but it was...it was like watching him get hit by Azula all over again." Her voice was soft – it wasn't something she talked about with anyone very often. "Only this time it was my fault. I was terrified. I mean, it wouldn't have been so bad but just before it hit I saw him and he was just standing there, staring at me like he'd never seen me before."

"It's because he hadn't seen you – not like that." Toph's voice was matter-of-fact, and Katara sat up in confusion.

"What do you mean? We've sparred tons of times." Toph sighed and muttered something under her breath before trying to explain.

"Listen, Sweetness. From what I heard you two waltzed into the arena shoulder-to-shoulder, and you were wearing his shirt. If that wasn't enough, sometime during your fight he burned off his shirt – lemme tell ya, the court ladies had a good time with that. Almost made me wish I could see what everyone's raving over. Is he really that sexy?"

"Toph!" Katara exclaimed, not quite sure if she even wanted to be having this conversation right now. The earthbender was unrepentant.

"What? I figure he's gotta be some kind of something else with the way everyone was talking. I thought you of all people would be able to answer the question. Maybe I should just ask him if I can feel his chest...I might be able to get some sort of idea from that..."

"Toph Bei Fong, drop it right now!" Katara groaned, hiding her face behind her hands. The other girl just laughed, tickled to have made her friend so embarrassed.

"Fine, I won't ask to play with your boy toy."

"No you will not ask to play with him!" Katara screeched. It wasn't until she saw the smug look on the shorter girl's face that she realized how badly she had just walked into the trap. She tried to cover.

"And he is NOT my boy toy!"

"If he's not yours then you don't have any say over who does what with him, am I right? I mean, for all you know he could have found some welcoming company with one of his dozens of admiring fans from yesterday. They do so go for the whole 'lonely prince' thing. And, well, I've heard rumors that he's expected to take a wife soon..." Katara flopped backwards again in a huff. Toph sighed with fake dejection.

"But, I guess all that doesn't really matter since the one girl he wants doesn't see him as a man. Just a friend. That's gotta be hard on the poor guy." Katara's heart stopped. She knew better than to doubt Toph's knowledge when it came to things she wasn't supposed to know.

"He's...interested in someone?" she whispered. "He never told me – I thought we told each other everything. Why hasn't he mentioned her to me?" She decided that the sharp pain she felt in her chest was simply because he didn't seem to trust her. No other reason. Certainly not the news that Zuko...favored someone. At that moment there was a knock on her door, and Katara remembered that she was supposed to be meeting with her father. Tucking all thoughts of Zuko and his mystery girl into the back of her mind she sat up and called for him to come in.

"Master Toph!" Hakoda greeted the earthbender cheerfully.

"Chief Hakoda! Lookin' good, sir."

"Thank you, Toph – hey..." he caught her game and all three of them laughed at the way the small girl played him. She turned to Katara.

"Well, Sugar Queen, I've gotta make the rounds – didn't get a chance to say hi to everyone yesterday. Any idea where Twinkletoes is?" Katara knew her friend felt the way her muscles clenched at the mention of the Avatar, but for her father's sake she kept her voice pleasant.

"Haven't seen him since yesterday morning. Maybe Sokka and Suki know."

"Awesome. See you later, Sweetness. Chief," she nodded at him as she left and he wished her a good day. Once the door had closed again, Hakoda took a seat on one of the wooden chairs at the side of the room.

"Bato said you wanted to talk to me."

"I did. I do. Dad..." she paused, all of her well-thought-out speeches fading to nothing as her father regarded her with warm blue eyes. She took a deep breath and decided to go for broke.

"Dad, I don't want to marry Aang." He looked at her, stunned.

"What?" he asked, obviously confused. She tried to find the words to say what she needed to.

"It's not that I don't care for him, Dad. I do. It's just...well, I don't love him like he loves me."

"Love can grow in the most barren of climates, my daughter."

"Yes, but – oh, I'm saying this all wrong." She snorted her irritation and he left his chair to sit next to her on the bed.

"Just tell me what's on your mind." She took a deep breath and looked at her hands where they were clenched on her lap.

"I love Aang. And maybe if things were different, I could see myself with him. But honestly, most of the time I feel more like his mother or his sister than a possible life mate. He's only thirteen, Dad. And while I know I'm not that much older, it feels like decades sometimes. And I'm not sure I'm ready to be married yet anyway. There's so much more I wanted to do, to learn – I'm not ready to give it all up for a life and a home and a family in some temple somewhere just because everyone else assumed it's what would happen. Even Aang assumed we'd end up together. Do you know he never asked me? Not once. The first time I heard any of this was when he waltzed in here yesterday morning and said he'd told you we were going to be married in Spring."

"So you didn't accept his proposal?" He seemed totally stunned.

"Dad, there was no proposal. He's never so much as brought up the subject of marriage. He's kissed me a grand total of three times – and once it pissed me off so badly I wanted to knock him off the balcony because I'd just told him I didn't know how I felt and I wanted space." Her voice was a growl as she spoke, the old anger bubbling to the surface.

"He led me to believe that you were an established couple and had been for much of your journey."

"Yeah, he mentioned that. Apparently he was under the impression that because we were friends and he thought he might possibly like me in that way, that that constituted a trial relationship."

"So he lied to me?"

"No – I don't think he did. Not deliberately. From what I gathered while I was trying not to kill him yesterday, he honestly thought that a relationship was just a friendship where you might want to kiss the other person sometimes." She shook her head. "I'm guessing romance and family planning weren't big subjects in the educational world of twelve year old monks." Hakoda sighed heavily.

"This explains a lot. He seemed a bit confused when I asked him his views on fatherhood and being a husband. I thought he was perhaps just nervous. La knows I was nervous when I asked for permission to court your mother."

"So Dad, do you see now why I said I really don't want to marry him? Is there a way to call it all off without causing problems?"

"Well, the rest of us had already been discussing plans for the betrothal dinner, but we're not too far along. I'll never force you into something you don't want just because it's not convenient to change plans." Suddenly Katara was on the verge of tears. With a cry she flung herself into her father's strong arms and sobbed like she hadn't since she was a child. He just held her and rocked her gently, humming an old Water Tribe lullaby under his breath. Eventually she calmed down and sat up, wiping her eyes with the corner of her robe.

"Feel better?" She nodded. "Well, I can't say I'm not a bit sad, but I want you to be happy. Besides, this will make a few things a bit more easy to write off."

"Like what?" He shot her a wry look.

"Well, I was trying to figure out exactly how I was going to explain why my daughter, future bride of the Avatar, walked into the bender arena yesterday practically on the Fire Lord's arm and wearing his shirt." She groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"That whole thing was just...aaargh." He chuckled at her frustration, so she took a moment to explain how it came to be that she was wandering around shirtless, how she'd talked Zuko out of his tunic so she wouldn't become any more of a topic of conversation, and that she didn't even think how it would look until she caught snippets of court conversation after they'd already arrived at the arena and it was too late for her to go get her own robes. By the time she was finished he was trying to hide a smirk and failing miserably.

"So, you see, it was all Aang's fault that I ended up in Zuko's clothes." Hakoda couldn't hold it back any longer. He burst out laughing, holding his stomach and rocking back and forth.

"Be sure to tell him that when you tell him the wedding is off. I'm sure he'd appreciate knowing he drove you into another man's wardrobe."

"Dad!" she chided, but she was laughing too, and her heart felt lighter than it had since the previous morning. She knew somehow everything would work out.


	3. Chapter 3

"Have you considered any of the proposals yet, my lord?" Zuko just stared blandly at the advisor that had spoken. It was worse today than it had been yesterday. Now with every brief break between matters of state and trade, one or another of his councilors would bring up his as-yet-unmarried state. It was taking all of his willpower to not set them all on fire or banish them from the country – or, at times like this when it was particularly annoying, both. If they weren't so indispensable right now it would be even more tempting, but he was the first to admit that he did need them until he had most of the problems under control. After that, however, all bets were off. He owed them some public humiliation for all of the chaos they had caused him thus far. He amused himself for a moment with the vision of commanding them all to dress in womens' clothing and sending them to Ba Sing Se to wait tables at the Jasmine Dragon. The soft sound of a throat being cleared brought him out of his admittedly amusing reverie and he narrowed his eyes at the man who had spoken.

"I have not." The tone of his voice made it clear that further conversation was not only unwelcome but also unwise. However, that had never stopped these idiots before. The first man didn't speak, but the conversation was taken up by an advisor farther down the table.

"With all due respect, your lordship, your people are beginning to get nervous. Without a wife and a clear line of succession, they fear that all of the wondrous work you have done so far could grind to a halt if anything were to happen to you." Zuko scoffed inwardly.

"Then I shall just have to make certain nothing happens to me, won't I?" A wiser man would have let the subject drop. Zuko took the older man's continued conversation as a mark of his apparent lack of wisdom.

"You are not invulnerable, Fire Lord Zuko. You should really consider the future of the throne. If I might say so, I would suggest looking at some of the candidates from the Earth Kingdom. Since you will have to abide by your wife's culture's betrothal period, the Earth Kingdom would be best suited as it is only three months. If you chose a bride in the next month, you could doubtless conceive and achieve an heir for the throne by next Summer." Zuko felt the rage beginning to boil under his skin. Apparently those closest to him felt it as well, as he noticed several men surreptitiously shifting their chairs away from him. With more calm than he felt, he stood to his full height and for the first time almost wished he had kept his father's council room with its dais and fire screen. It would have made this so much easier if they feared him. But he was working on earning respect, not fear, and that thought alone kept him from unleashing a wave of flame in every direction – no matter how much he wanted to. He took a deep breath to center himself, and when he spoke it was with an ice in his voice that was completely at odds with the fire in his eyes.

"I will say this once and never again. I find this entire conversation distasteful. My first duty is to my people, to rebuilding and repairing the damages caused by a hundred years of viciousness and war. If I am not willing to cut corners where the reconstruction of this great nation is concerned, why would you dare to assume that I would simply choose a bride from a piece of paper without being certain that she would be what is best for my land and my people? The woman I choose will not be simply a figurehead and a breeder. She will need to be someone who can work alongside me, someone I can trust to hold the well-being of the Fire Nation in as high a regard as I do. I refuse to pick a bride on the basis of how quickly I can sire an heir. When I take a wife, it will be because I feel she is suited not just to myself but to the duties and responsibilities that being Fire Lady will entail. She will be strong of character and will. She will be powerful and compassionate. She will care for this land, this country, as her own regardless of where she hails from. So if any of you treasure the positions and money you earn by being advisors to the Fire Lord, you will think very carefully about bringing this subject up again, because I could find a dozen men easily as qualified as any one of you who would be more willing to focus on the important matters rather than being concerned with who will eventually bear my children."

Silence fell around the table. Not one of the men sitting there had any doubts that the young Fire Lord meant exactly what he said. Nor did anyone have the slightest idea how to proceed. The respectful clapping from behind him came as a welcome interruption and Zuko spun to face the intruder only to see his uncle's smiling visage as the older man closed the door behind him.

"Very well said, Lord Zuko," he praised sincerely, catching the relief in his nephew's eyes. "And on that note, you've been cooped up in here all morning. I've no doubt that these fine men would like to break for the midday meal." He nodded at the group of council members who took that as their cue to stand, some more quickly than others. Zuko was glad for the chance to get out for a while and graciously dismissed them all, smiling to himself as they hauled out of the room. He turned to Iroh and the two men embraced warmly.

"Thank you, Uncle. I thought I was going to lose it there."

"Not at all, nephew. You handled that quite well. You've become an imposing young lord. And now they're beginning to realize the fire you carry isn't all temper, but the steel of resolve as well. Would you care to take lunch with me?"

"Absolutely," the younger man replied.

They had their lunch in the same garden he and Katara had been in the day before, and Zuko smiled at the memory, taking a drink of tea. His uncle was observant, as usual.

"Are you happy about the tea – or is there something else on your mind that makes you smile so? Maybe someone else?" The former prince blinked, startled from his memories.

"Oh, no, it's...the tea is very good." Iroh obviously wasn't fooled.

"I heard some interesting tales – apparently yesterday you were beaten by a girl?" Zuko groaned, but he was still smiling.

"Katara and I sparred yesterday. And yes, she beat me soundly." Far from the petulance Iroh could remember hearing from the younger Zuko, his nephew sounded proud and amused. The look in the boy's eyes was easy to decipher, though Iroh was certain the Fire Lord didn't realize he was wearing such a sappy expression.

"I'm sorry I missed it. I heard she was quite beautiful – apparently royal clothing suits her."

"It does. I mean – well, it was a funny story, really..." The Dragon of the West was absolutely delighted to see his nephew flustered, and wondered how long it would be before the boy would be able to admit his feelings to himself. Zuko sighed, and his face turned serious.

"Uncle, you have no idea how glad I am to see you. I could really use some advice right now." The older man reached across the table and placed his hand on his nephew's arm.

"Tell me."

Zuko began to talk. He told of his plans, his hopes for repairing the scars left behind by those that came before him. He spoke at length of trade routes, contracts, agreements with other nations. He praised the strength of his people, their tenacity and their determination, and expressed his happiness and surprise that they were willing to accept him and his ideas. And then conversation turned to his most recent annoyances.

"...so now every time I turn around they are pushing me to marry and breed an heir or five. It's aggravating. Don't they see I have more important things to worry about?"

"Look at it from their point of view, Zuko. We have just ended a war that has been going on longer than any of us has been alive. All they know is the state of the nation at wartime. Now that there is peace many are still unwilling to believe it for fear that this dream will end. You are the youngest Fire Lord to ever claim the throne, and as such they expect mistakes. Combine that with the fact that if anything were to happen to you – and you know how frequent assassination attempts have been in the past – the throne would lay empty and everything you have been striving so hard for would be lost. Likely the Fire Nation would fall, eaten alive by succession struggles from the inside out. I agree that they should not be pushing for proof of your virility just yet, but can you not see that it is fear that makes them act as they do?" Zuko sighed heavily and drained his cup, speaking softly as Iroh refilled it.

"I understand, I really do. And I don't want to shirk my duties to the throne. But I just can't see how they expect me to juggle everything I am currently trying to achieve and add a wife and children to the mix as well. I refuse to be like my father. My family will know they are treasured and loved, and I will devote as much time to them as I possibly can. I know that there is slim chance I will marry for love, but I will need a wife who can work beside me and stand with me. I do not want this country to fall."

"So what do you think you should do?" his uncle asked calmly.

"I'm not sure. Katara suggested I find a woman willing to play the role of my betrothed until I have the nation more stabilized and then step down when the time is right for me to find a real wife. But I can't imagine any of these proposals coming from women who would be willing to make such a sacrifice."

"It would be a perfect solution. In fact, if you could find a Water Tribe girl that would be even more ideal, as they have the longest betrothals of any of the three kingdoms."

"That's what Katara said, too." He sighed deeply, and Iroh had to resist rolling his eyes.

"How is young Katara, anyway? I haven't had a chance to visit with her yet, since I came straight to the council room to rescue you."

"Have I thanked you for that, by the way? Thank you. I was about to lose it and fire every one of them." Iroh waved it off and Zuko took a bite of his ginger biscuit.

"Katara is well. A little peeved at the Avatar right now."

"Oh?"

"Apparently Aang spoke to her father and got Hakoda to agree to a Spring wedding – without even proposing to her first. Which was a truly stupid move on his part because she doesn't want to marry yet, and she doesn't want to marry him. She was...well, to say she was angry would likely be an understatement. According to palace talk, he was so scared when she kicked him out of her room yesterday morning that he took off on Appa and hasn't come back yet."

"Katara is quite a formidable woman when it's something she feels strongly about," Iroh mused. His nephew nodded.

"That she is. But I think she's a bit more calm now – though that probably has more to do with our sparring than anything I could have said. Still, she had plans to talk with her father and explain that the entire thing was based off of Aang's assumptions. She has so many dreams and hopes and this scares her because once she marries she feels she'll be demoted to just being a wife and mother and everything she wanted to learn and do will have to be left behind. She's worried she'll be trapped in a marriage she doesn't want because of tribal custom."

"Chief Hakoda doesn't seem the type to make his children unhappy for the sake of tradition." Zuko nodded.

"That's what I told her. I haven't spoken with her yet today to see if she's talked to him, though." There was quiet at the table for a while, and Iroh sighed inwardly. It looked as though he would have to steer his nephew once more – though without letting him know he was being steered. The Dragon smirked. It's not like he wasn't used to it by now.

"So it seems that you're not the only one having issues because of marriage traditions," he said calmly, letting no hint of his inner thoughts show on his face. He stifled a smile as his nephew sighed loudly and leaned back against the tree.

"Are all the nations crazy? What happened to marrying for love?"

"Nobility happened, Zuko," Iroh said gently. "Once you have responsibilities to more than just yourself and your family, the freedom you are granted decreases and your choices are made more difficult and complicated."

"I know, I know. Still, it doesn't seem fair."

"Life rarely is, nephew." Iroh sighed and poured himself another cup of tea. "You are the reigning Fire Lord. Katara, as a chief's daughter and a master waterbender in her own right, is essentially princess to her people. Of course it would follow that the two of you would have more people concerned with your futures than you would if you led common lives." He chuckled. "It seems to me she needs to follow her own advice, and find someone to join with in a public betrothal. That way she could keep her freedoms for the next year or so, and leave no hard feelings at the end." The older man watched carefully for – that! That spark of understanding. Zuko's eyes snapped open and he leapt to his feet, nearly upsetting his cup in the process.

"That's perfect! I can't believe I didn't see it before!" He darted away, then turned and came back a few steps.

"Thank you so much, Uncle! I'll see you again soon – I've got to go find Katara!" And with that he disappeared into the palace hallways and Iroh settled back with a sigh.

"For such a bright boy he certainly needs a bit of a push sometimes," he murmured to himself. With a contented sigh he poured himself some more tea and relaxed, listening to the birds and the wind and smiling happily.

* * *

She sighed, relieved, as she sank deeper into her bath. Her father had been far more understanding than she had expected. Toph was now likely bothering Sokka and Suki, and not sitting here pestering her with questions about Zuko's attractiveness. Aang still hadn't returned to the palace, which was good because she wasn't certain she was ready to see him yet. And she was enjoying some of the perks that came with being a guest of the Fire Lord – namely, a nice, hot bath to relax her muscles, soon to be followed by lunch. Maybe she'd take a walk around the city marketplace a little later. Now that she had convinced Cazin and Baru that they didn't need to walk right beside her every step of the way, she found she liked browsing the vendors and the stalls. It sounded like her day would be peaceful and calm...just what she needed after the recent upheavals. Leaning back in the tub, her eyes closed, she sighed again, this time in happiness. And then the door to her chambers slammed open and shut and she nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned to see the Fire Lord standing in her bedchamber, panting as though he'd been running, a wild look on his face.

"Katara – we need to get married!"

"Zuko – what the hell!" she screeched, ducking further under the water and glaring at him through a blush that was half embarrassment and half indignant shock. He looked at her – really looked at her – and she saw the exact moment that he realized precisely what he had burst in on. With a choked gasp he spun around and faced the wall.

"I am so sorry! I'll just...go, and then...well, I need to talk to you, so I'll...I mean, I have an idea – Uncle kind of gave it to me, really, and...I didn't mean to interrupt your bath...oh, Agni..." He sounded so flustered, so scared, that she couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Zuko, calm down and breathe. Just keep facing the wall – I'll tell you when it's safe to turn around." She climbed out of the tub and bent the water from her skin with a stray thought, slipping quickly into a pair of blue leggings. She knew it would take too long to don her bindings, so instead she chose a slim white undershirt that would conform to her figure and tossed a blue sleeveless top over it.

"Okay, all clear." He turned slowly, almost as though he was afraid of what he might see, and she saw him relax visibly when he saw that she was indeed dressed.

"Kaara, I am so sorry," he began, but she shook her head with a chuckle.

"It's okay. We don't have a lot of privacy at home usually – I've gotten kind of used to one person or another walking in on me while I'm bathing. Though typically it's Gran Gran or Dad." She sat down on the bed and patted the mattress beside her, wondering why his eyes still held that slightly panicked look but deciding he was still shocked. "Now, what were you babbling about us getting married?" She saw him hesitate for a second but then he shook himself and seemed to snap out of it. With a sigh he sat down beside her.

"So Uncle showed up today and rescued me from another asinine council meeting– by the way, he says he wants to see you sometime and visit. I don't know how long he's staying, but expect him to look you up while he's here." She nodded happily – she truly cared for the older firebender, and it had been a while since she'd seen him. "Anyway, we were discussing all the problems I'm having with the proposals and being pushed to get married, and then conversation turned to you and how Aang pulled that crazy stunt of his, and somewhere during the conversation I realized that we are each other's salvation." His golden eyes were shining with satisfaction and she had to concentrate on breathing.

"How do you figure?"

"Well, we're best friends. You want some time and freedom without having to worry that some tradition of your people will have you married and pregnant before you have a chance to follow your dreams. I need time to get my country in order before I feel comfortable getting married myself. So if we were to announce a betrothal to each other...don't you see? It's perfect!" He sounded so eager, so thrilled with his solution, and she was reminded of her brother whenever he would come up with one or another of his wacky ideas...granted, they usually worked out. Still, she was hesitant.

"Zuko...I'm not so sure. I mean, I know your advisors are pushing you to wed regardless of nationality, but do you really think they'd accept that you planned to marry me?"

"Why wouldn't they? You're Chief Hakoda's daughter – royalty among your own people, though I know your tribe doesn't have distinctions like that. Plus, you're a strong and capable woman as well as a master bender. They would have no reason to deny my suit." He took her hand in his, and she felt the warmth of his skin against her own. "It's the perfect arrangement. I can think of no one else I would trust this much." The honesty in his gaze melted her, and she struggled to be objective.

"You do realize that if we did this, we would have to be seen together. That would mean attending gatherings together, acting like a couple in love, maybe even the occasional public display of affection. If your council had the slightest inkling that this was a set up, they'd push you to dissolve the betrothal immediately and likely insist that you marry a bride of their choosing in penance." His face fell and she fought the illogical hurt that shot through her.

"I understand. I wouldn't want to force you to be affectionate with me for my own convenience." She goggled at him, realizing she had completely misunderstood the dejection on his face.

"No, Zuzu – that's not it at all! I wouldn't mind that in the least!"

"Really?" he said, a slight smirk showing, and she blushed and punched him in the shoulder.

"You goof. I was thinking you...well, you might not want to be seen with me like that." Her voice was quiet and his expression was incredulous.

"Why wouldn't I? You're a wonderful person, and I trust you with more than my life. Thinking like that, the occasional hug or cuddle wouldn't be a hardship at all." She felt a warmth rocket through her and struggled to not blush harder.

"Well, um, we really need to talk to our friends and family then. They need to know what we're doing and why. We'll need their help if we're going to pull the wool over the eyes of your councilmen and your nation. Plus, they might be able to point out potential problems and pitfalls so we can have some sort of plan ready."

"So...is that a yes, then?" She just laughed. He looked like an eager little boy.

"Well, no." The shock on his face made her want to laugh again.

"It's not?" She shook her head and grinned.

"How can I say yes to a question you haven't even asked yet?" The way his expression slid from apprehensive to relieved was nothing short of amazing, and he grinned in return.

"Well, I can't ask you yet. I haven't even spoken to your father." She just shook her head and giggled.

"Maybe we should invite them all for lunch then. Find us a spot where we can all eat that won't be a haven for nosy listeners. I'll get everyone together."

"That works. We'll use the east wing conference room. It's large enough to fit us all, and there is only one door and no windows. It's also the only room at the end of a hallway, so the guards can be posted down at the opposite end from the door – they'd be out of earshot but still doing their job."

"Sounds great." She bounced to her feet and he followed quickly. "See you there in a half hour?"

"Sure thing." She turned to leave but he grabbed her hand and tugged, urging her to turn back around to face him. The happiness in his eyes made them gleam like pure gold.

"'Tara – thank you. I'll make sure you don't regret agreeing to this crazy plan." She smiled and couldn't resist pressing a quick kiss to his unscarred cheek.

"I know you will," she said, and darted out of the room, leaving him to shiver once before setting off in the opposite direction.

* * *

Author's note: Just to clear this up...this is a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants type of story. I have an idea of where it's headed, and I know a lot of what's going to happen, but for the most part this is where I let my subconscious out to play and do what it wishes. As such, it will likely be AU in spots, just because people and events as they were in the show really don't fit into this particular timeline. I don't have the foggiest idea what all of these points may be because I just haven't gotten there yet, so bear with me, 'kay? :) I hope y'all enjoy this so far!


	4. Chapter 4

"So, Sugar Queen, when do we get down to the real reason we're here? I mean, the food is fabulous, but I'm guessing you didn't call us all together just to munch." Toph was sitting on the floor as was her habit, leaning back against the wall with her feet on the ground and her plate resting on her bent knees.

"Yes, Katara, what gives? I haven't seen you this worked up over anything in a long time," Sokka commented around his mouthful of food.

"Well, I...let's wait for Zuko and Iroh, okay? It'll make more sense to only explain this once."

"If it's something important, don't you think Aang should be here too?" Suki asked – only to immediately regret opening her mouth as Katara's mood turned frozen. "I mean...never mind."

"I'll discuss this with Aang myself once I've decided I'm ready to speak to him again." Her tone brooked no argument.

"Let's just be patient. The Fire Lord and The Dragon should be arriving shortly." Her father's voice was calm, betraying none of the curiosity so obvious in his eyes. At that moment the door opened and the two in question walked in. Iroh took the empty seat beside Hakoda, leaving the places at either end of the table for Katara and Zuko, respectively. Once they were all seated and Zuko dismissed the servers, everyone looked between him and Katara. He cleared his throat, suddenly nervous, but the calming gaze of his uncle and the slight nod Iroh gave him boosted his faith that this was the right thing.

"I'm certain you've heard of the troubles I'm having with my council concerning the fact that I have no heir to the throne." Nods greeted his statement. "They are becoming more and more intractable, to the point where it has become nearly impossible to get anything accomplished because they would rather discuss my future marriage options than the problems facing my nation. It's annoying." He saw understanding smiles on the faces of those around him. "The fact is, I have too much I need to do right now to consider getting married. I'm close to achieving some of the most important goals I have had for the future of the Fire Nation. Trade contracts are working out splendidly. Peace talks have been fruitful. I've begun building up a base of trust and honesty with the other nations, as Chief Hakoda can attest to, being the Southern Water Tribe delegate." The older man inclined his head in agreement. "If I were to wed now, the priorities would shift out of necessity. I don't want to risk everything I've been striving so hard for falling apart because my council is full of a bunch of morons who seem to care more about who I bed and breed than how much I can do for my people." His irritation was obvious, and though Sokka snickered slightly the rest of them were attentive to what he was saying.

"I've been trying to find some sort of solution to this issue, but it wasn't until after speaking with Katara and Uncle that I feel I may have come up with an answer." He nodded to Katara, who took up the thread of the conversation.

"I know you've all heard about my current...problems...with Aang. Why he felt it was okay to go over my head, misrepresent our friendship to my father, and make a decision of this magnitude for me I'll never know, and it will likely be a long time before I can forgive him for that. However, it made me realize that most people saw us as an item. Now that word has gotten out that I am no longer 'the Avatar's girl,'" she said with a sneer, "I've no doubt that suitors will come out of the woodwork. I am less than four months from marriageable age, and I know for a fact that if only for my status as one of the ones responsible for helping to end the war, I'll have bothersome proposals coming my way. I have absolutely no intention of getting married, not for a very long time. And I know Dad would never force me into a betrothal – which I am very thankful for," she said with a smile for her father. Hakoda returned it, though his eyes were wary...he had a feeling he knew where this was headed. She didn't notice the reserved look on his face as she continued. "But the fact remains that if I am still single, most of the nations will see my rejection of any and all proposals as an insult, which is something I feel we can't really risk, not now with peace finally being realized for the first time in a century. And if I were to accept a suitor in the interests of avoiding insult, I have no guarantee that the man would permit me to have my freedom. We all know how I feel about the way the Northern Water Tribe treats their wives and daughters," she said with a grimace. "Toph can vouch for the fact that Earth Kingdom wives aren't given much more leeway. In fact, the only nation that holds a truly progressive view of the roles a woman can play for her home and her country is the one we are currently in.

"I want to help. There has been so much pain caused, so many people who are in desperate need out there, and I just know I can do well by them. But not if I run the risk of being shackled to someone who will not give me the leeway I need to do as I wish. In this case I am as trapped as Zuko. So we've come up with an idea that will help us both and cost us very little. That's why we've called you all here." She stopped and he spoke, following her seamlessly.

"If I were to announce my intentions of betrothal to Katara with a formal declaration of marriage in a year and a half, it would help solve both of our problems. You see -"

"What?" Sokka shouted an interruption, coughing and sputtering as he pointed his fork in Zuko's direction. "You want to do _what_ with my sister?" he managed to get out. Suki patted his back and pulled him back down into his chair, but her voice was just as incredulous.

"You mean to say you two want to get married and you think that will _solve_ your problems?" she asked incredulously.

"Aww, I always knew you guys would make a good couple, Sparky!" Toph chimed in. "Wonder what kind of benders your kids will be?" Her thoughtful tone was completely at odds with her amused countenance.

"KIDS?" shrieked Sokka, not choking any more, and he leapt up with the obvious intention of beating Zuko into the ground. Suki grabbed him and slammed him back down into his chair, but he wouldn't shut up. "You're not TOUCHING my baby sister! Friend or not, you lay one finger on her and I swear by Tui and La -"

"Sokka." Hakoda's voice was calm and firm, and the command in it settled his son the way nothing else could. With a huff Sokka slumped back in his chair, though he was still glaring daggers at the firebender at the end of the table.

"I don't believe my nephew was done explaining his idea," Iroh interjected quietly, though with an authority in his voice that made the others feel it would likely be a good idea to stop talking and listen.

"Thank you, Uncle," Katara said. "Now, it seems you've all jumped to conclusions – which wouldn't have happened if you'd let Zuko finish speaking before blowing up, _Sokka._" She fixed her brother with a glare, but he ignored her and kept his eyes on Zuko. The young man in question nodded his thanks at the waterbender before picking up where he left off.

"As I was saying, I would announce a betrothal between myself and Katara. Chief Hakoda, as the daughter of a tribal chief, Katara's betrothal period would pass from one year into eighteen months, is that correct?" The warrior nodded, mild distrust in his eyes, and Zuko swallowed hard before continuing. "Within eighteen months the majority of my plans for my nation would see fruition. In that time, Katara would have a solid background in her goals and hopes as well. At the end of that time, we would then dissolve the betrothal. It would give us that buffer we both desperately need to get things in order, and at the end we would be in better positions to make the choices for our futures that we would need to make."

"I don't know how it is in the Fire Nation, but among our people a broken betrothal brings shame to both families involved." Hakoda spoke quietly, but there was ice in his voice. "I pray you are not suggesting I permit my daughter to have her honor diminished for the sake of your nation."

"Dad!" Katara cried out, but Zuko held up his hand, indicating that he would answer. She sat back in her chair and listened.

"I do understand that, and I would never propose such a plan. Katara is my best friend. I would sooner fling myself from the highest tower in the palace than do anything that would cause her harm in any sense." He held Hakoda's gaze steadily, his expression unwavering. "Which is why when the time came I would insist that Katara file for a Dissolution of Binding on the Basis of Political Incompatibility." There was a gasp from Toph, who – having been raised in a noble family – understood exactly what Zuko was saying.

"That's political suicide, Sparky!" she interjected, jumping to her feet and stomping over to stand beside him, her arms crossed over her chest as she glared in his general direction.

"Why? What is that Dissolution of...whatever thingy, anyway?" Sokka, having regained a bit of composure on hearing that they had no intention of actually getting married, was curious now. Toph's answer was brusque.

"It means that she's rejecting him as a potential mate because she feels he would bring harm or destruction to her nation. As Katara essentially holds a position akin to most nations' princesses, it would be like her standing up and saying she doesn't trust him to not bring war and death to her people. Sparky, you're fucking nuts! Don't you know how that will be seen by – well, everyone? We've finally begun clearing up the piles of shit left from the last war and now you want to risk rumors that you might be no better than your father before you?"

"I understand, Toph. Believe me, I do. But once I've got the ball rolling here I'm confident I would be able to salvage it, even after the Dissolution. It's not going to be easy, of course, but I know I can do it."

"When were you going to mention this to me, oh potential temporary fiance?" Zuko's eyes widened as he took in the mildly irate waterbender at the opposite end of the table. "Were you going to wait until it was time to call it off before informing me I would have to essentially shoot you in the foot?"

"Katara, I didn't say anything because I honestly didn't think of it until Uncle and I were walking here earlier." His eyes begged her to understand. "I promise you, I was not trying to make decisions for you! You know me better than that." She looked somewhat mollified, but it was obvious that she wasn't totally happy yet.

"Why not file a Joint Dissolution of Binding on the Basis of Interpersonal Dissimilarities?" Toph asked.

"A what for the whoosy-whatsis, now?" Sokka asked, and Toph tossed her head in annoyance.

"It would basically be saying that they wanted to break their betrothal because their personal goals are too dissimilar and it might cause conflict between their nations. Not quite as severe as Political Incompatibility, but just as effective. Though it would put them both at a bit of risk for finding future mates. People with personal goals that are strong enough to overrule the well-being of one or both nations are considered...high risk, as far as marriage to nobility goes." Sokka just stared at the earthbender.

"How do you know all this?" he asked with no small amount of awe.

"Master Toph's uncle and great-uncle on her mother's side have had a large amount of influence in the betrothal laws for the Earth Kingdom, quite a few of which have their Fire Nation counterparts. And she is right, nephew," Iroh said calmly. "To file a Political Incompatibility dissolution would likely destroy a large portion of the trust you have earned and will earn among your citizens. But I'm not certain that Interpersonal would be the right way to go either." He broke off with a thoughtful hum, and the table grew quiet.

"I don't want to do this if it will hurt you in the end," Katara said quietly, her blue eyes sincere as she looked at Zuko.

"It won't be so bad. The benefits will definitely outweigh any future drawbacks, I'm certain of it. Trust me, 'Tara?" The plea in his eyes made her melt a little, and she sighed, admitting defeat.

"I swear, Zuzu, if you screw this up the thrashing I gave you in the arena will feel like a tickle."

"I promise you, if I screw this up I won't even fight back."

"Well, where's the fun in that?" she asked archly, and they shared a grin. After a moment of quiet, in which their friends and family were looking from one to the other with various expressions of shock, reluctance, and – in the case of Uncle Iroh – smugness, Hakoda cleared his throat.

"Katara – if you are sure of your choice, I will accept it. I may not completely agree. But you are old enough to make your own decisions – I daresay you have been for a while, actually. So while I do have my doubts and reservations, I will support you in whatever you believe is right for you." Choking back a sob, she jumped up from her chair and flung herself into her father's arms.

"Thanks, Dad. You'll see – I know what I'm doing."

"I doubt that, but you'll learn," he said with a gruff chuckle, shooing her back to her seat.

"Thank you, Chief Hakoda," Zuko said formally, and the man looked down the table to the boy his daughter had chosen as her future husband – though he knew she wasn't even ready to admit it to herself yet. He nodded once.

"Zuko, you are a fine young man, and I believe you have it in you to be one of the most successful and competent leaders this world has ever seen. You aren't afraid to sacrifice yourself for that which will benefit your people – something they haven't had in a ruler in many, many years. But you can be rash without thinking on occasion. I ask that you work on that. Far better to act than to react. And if for whatever reason you or Katara want out of this at any time, I trust that you will make it happen."

"Absolutely, sir."

"Perhaps since I'm officially your pretend father-in-law-to-be, you'll grant me the honor of calling me Hakoda?" the older man said with a chuckle. Zuko nodded, smiling.

"The honor would be mine, Hakoda."

"Well, all this mushy friendship stuff is all well and good, but I was promised dessert. Get to it, Sparky!" The earthbender's imperious tone had them all laughing and Zuko gladly summoned the waiters with their after-dinner treats. Conversation took a deliberate turn to things of no consequence as the group enjoyed their snacks and each others' company. At one point Katara looked at Zuko's dish of custard, and he cupped his hand around it protectively.

"You know what happened the last time you stole my custard," he growled, and she smiled wickedly.

"Yep. I got the chance to put you in your place in front of half the world."

"Impudent wench."

"Egotistical chauvinist." They grinned at each other and turned their attention back to their respective plates, missing the confused look on most of their companions' faces. Iroh sat sipping his tea, munching on his sweet cookies, and wondering if they'd let their children call him Grandpa.

* * *

"You know, you threw everyone for a loop today, Katara." It was dark out, the dinner hour past, and the waterbender had escaped to a side garden to play with the water in the fountain. She knew one or another member of her family would seek her out – she was absurdly glad it was Suki. Turning, she released the water back to its source with nary a ripple and took a seat on the ground in front of the fountain. The Kyoshi fighter sat next to her without being prompted.

"I know. It is a really huge idea. But I really think it will work."

"Mmm-hmm. And what happens when it comes time to let him go and you don't want to?" Startled blue eyes turned to face Suki, whose expression was nothing if not patient.

"What do you mean? It's eighteen months, and then it's over. That's how it is."

"Yeah. That's how it is. And you'll really be able to play the part of his besotted betrothed for a year and a half and then let go and hand him off to some other woman to take the place you've held for so long."

"Well, it's not like we're really going to be together. I mean, we're friends. That's all." Suki raised an eyebrow.

"You can't pull that with me, Katara. You forget, I've shared a tent with you. And I know it's not friendship that had you moaning Zuko's name every night in your sleep." She watched as Katara's face infused with red and the brunette jumped to her feet, pacing back and forth in front of the fountain.

"That's just absurd, Suki. I mean seriously, me and Zuko? Not even possible." Suki stood and waited until Katara had spun to continue pacing, stepping in front of her and placing her hands on the other girl's shoulders.

"Lie to yourself if you want. I just don't want to see how badly you're going to be hurt when it comes time to file for your dissolution of whatever and realize as you watch him walk away that he's the one you never wanted to let go."

"Suki..." Katara's expression was pleading, and the warrior's heart went out to the girl who would (hopefully soon) be her sister-in-law. She pulled the waterbender into a hug, and wasn't surprised when Katara clung to her.

"Please, Suki, if you're really my friend...just let it go. This is something I have to do, for me...and for Zuko." Suki sighed and hugged Katara closer, then released her and stepped back to meet her gaze.

"Okay. I won't bring it up again. But if you ever need someone to talk to that isn't a male relative...well, I'll always be here for you. You know that, right?"

"I know. And thank you, so much. I...I'll be really happy when my idiot brother finally gets around to making you an official member of the family. I already see you as my sister."

"I think of you as a sister, too," Suki said with a smile. "And for all his faults I really do love your brother. So I guess I'll wait and be ready with an ass kicking and an acceptance whenever he gets around to asking." The two laughed and Suki looped her arm through Katara's. "Now, let's get you back inside. You need to get some rest tonight – tomorrow you and Zuko face down his council. Almost wish I could be there to see the sparks." Katara laughed.

"I'm not going to start any trouble, if that's what you're alluding to." Suki shook her head.

"_You_ won't. But let's just say I don't think the honorable Fire Lord will be able to keep his cool quite as well when they start slinging their insults. And you know they will."

"I know. But I'll be there to calm him down if he gets too fiery." Her expression was full of mirth. "And maybe they need to learn not to mess with two master benders. A good dose of respect can go a long way." Suki shook her head.

"Yep. You two are perfect together."

* * *

He was waiting outside her door, carefully not letting any of his nervousness show through. Today they would be confronting his council. It was not going to be pretty. He took a deep, calming breath. In a way he felt odd, standing in the hallway just outside her chamber door, under the watchful eyes of the two men he had entrusted her safety to. They would never say anything, but he felt as though they were weighing him, judging him – he knew it was ridiculous, that it was just his nerves talking, so he forced himself to be calm. And then the door clicked open and he swallowed hard.

He'd sent instructions and a maid to make certain she was dressed appropriately – he was taking no chances with this. Still, his breath caught at seeing her step out of her room in the traditional sheath dress of the Fire Lord's official consort, the shining red material flowing over her in flawless radiance, her hair raised in an artful bun that showed off her slender neck, around which her mother's betrothal pendant rested snugly. She had disdained cosmetics, as he thought she might, and he was more pleased to see her natural beauty than he would have been had she bowed to palace custom and decked herself out in rouge and lipstick.

"You look beautiful," he whispered, happy to see her blush as she stepped towards him.

"Thank you," she replied just as softly.

"Are you ready for this?" He cupped her cheek with his hand, reassuring her.

"Not even remotely. Let's do this." Without further ado, she threaded her arm through his and they began their walk through the palace to the council room. They could have simply met there, but Katara pointed out that if they were going to be believable, people should see them together as a couple sooner rather than later. Walking down the hallway with her, talking softly about trivialities, Zuko could smell the smooth, spicy scent that was a mixture of a popular perfume and a fragrance he could only ever associate with her, something like the seas after a storm or the chill crispness of an iceberg. The combination was intoxicating, and he had to stop himself from pulling her closer. _This is all for show, remember?_ he reminded himself. Their walk seemed to take forever, and he was acutely aware of how well she fit against him, how perfectly their steps matched. The closer they got to the room, however, the more he wished for them to be able to keep walking, to never have to stop. Too soon, though, they found themselves outside the council room. He took a deep breath and turned to her, his heart skipping slightly at the trust in her eyes.

"Well, um...this is it." He saw her swallow hard, but her expression was full of resolve and when she spoke it was with a smile.

"Let's go knock your stuffy advisors on their well-padded rears." He smiled in return and opened the door.

"After you, my darling." As he'd waited until the door was partially open to speak, he knew those inside the room would have heard his words. He was unbelievably thrilled to see the looks of shock, outrage, and disbelief on the faces of all of the men present as they saw exactly who he had brought with him.

"What is this?" someone near the back called out. Zuko said nothing, simply smiling as he led Katara over to the chair he usually occupied. He met her questioning look with a nod and she sat down gracefully, leaning back into the plush cushion. He stood just to her side, reaching down to thread their fingers together.

"This, gentlemen, is Master Katara. I'm certain you all at least know of her. One of the most powerful waterbenders known to any nation, and the world's only bloodbender. Princess of the Southern Water Tribe, an instrumental member of the group that helped defeat the former Fire Lord, the woman that single-handedly saved my life. My best friend." He looked down at her, letting his expression soften. "And your future Fire Lady." Her eyes met his and he was blown away by the amount of affection shining in them. He swallowed and turned his gaze to the roomful of completely stunned men that were gaping at the two of them.

"Lord Zuko, this is...highly irregular!" one of the senior advisors stammered out. Zuko just looked at the man.

"You have all been pushing me into choosing a bride. I would think that you would be happy that I have finally made up my mind, regardless of how...irregular...it may be."

"But my lord, she's not suitable!" The middle-aged councilor of trade knew as soon as he spoke that it was not the wisest thing to have done. The entire room could feel the heat of the young Fire Lord's gaze as it rested on the foolish speaker.

"Do tell me why that is, Councilor Tsukasi." There was no doubt in anyone's mind that the unfortunate man was not going to be able to talk his way out of the mess his mouth had landed him in, but he couldn't refuse a direct order from the leader of the Fire Nation. Wiping one hand across a brow already damp with sweat, he cleared his throat and proceeded to dig himself a hole even he knew there would be no escaping from.

"She, um...well, the Southern Water Tribe – for all they are an excellent people, I've no doubt – well, they're a bit...savage. Uncivilized. They don't even have a royal hierarchy. She is hardly suited for palace life and the rigors and demands she would be expected to meet as Fire Lady." Zuko's smile turned almost predatory. This was what he had been waiting for.

"Is that all? Or were there more aspersions you wish to cast on Lady Katara? Perhaps questioning her talents as a bender, or her virtue? Her skill with people? Her dedication to helping us repair the world after my forbears nearly destroyed it in their greed and ambition? Come now, don't be shy. Surely there is something you'd care to express. No? Very well – if you have nothing useful to say, you are dismissed. One of my royal scribes shall contact you with details of your new position within a fortnight. You have two days to have yourself and your belongings removed from the palace and returned to your family estate." He raised Katara's hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently, never taking his eyes from the quivering man at the end of the table – and thereby missing the way her blue eyes widened and her breathing hitched. "Does anyone have any further concerns?" He looked at each man in turn, deliberately ignoring Tsukasi who was shuffling towards the door at a pace just short of a jog. No one spoke up, and few would meet his eyes. He maintained his silence until the door shut beside the former advisor.

"Very well. As I've heard no other concerns raised, we thank you for your support of our union. By the standards of her people and in deference to the high position she holds among them, the betrothal will last for the full eighteen months."

"So long?" one of the junior councilmen asked curiously. Zuko simply nodded.

"I am marrying their princess. It would be beyond bad form to ask that they relinquish their traditions simply for the sake of the Fire Nation. And as this wedding will not only be uniting two people, but in effect two cultures, it is in the best interests of everyone that compromises be made. I'll admit, I'm a bit disappointed at having to wait so long to make my lovely fiance mine in more than just betrothal," he said with a smirk at Katara, loving the fact that she could somehow blush and glare simultaneously, "but all things worth having are worth waiting for. And I've no doubt Lady Katara is more than worth the wait – not just for myself, but for all that she can bring to our wonderful nation as well." He juggled the roles of infatuated suitor and Fire Lord with a skill that shocked even him, musing that it felt rather natural to do so and refusing to think any further on why that might be. Instead he continued speaking.

"After the betrothal period, I will meet with her father and we will discuss a date for the wedding. We hope to incorporate Water Tribe and Fire Nation traditions, so I don't expect it to happen overnight, but I'd have it no other way." Seeing reluctant acceptance around the table, he motioned a servant to pull over another chair for him. Having Katara sit in his chair, he was implying that she would have equal rights in all matters of state. It was time now to get down to business and show that it was more than an implication.

He never let go of her hand.


	5. Chapter 5

"Well, the news has hit the city already," Toph said happily. The group was gathered for dinner, this time in Zuko's sitting room. It was informal and comfortable, and with both Hakoda and Iroh having other plans, the rest of them were enjoying the fact that they were able to come together as friends alone for the first time in ages.

"That's a good thing, right?" Sokka asked, still a bit hesitant. Katara rolled her eyes and threw a piece of bread at him.

"Yes. It's a good thing. In the next day or so we should be able to gauge what the general populous thinks of the idea. That way we'll know how to play it when we make the formal announcement next week."

"Katara's right. The more we can find out about how the people see the idea, the easier it will be to convince the council that it's a good match."

"You know, just because you're her pretend boyfriend doesn't mean you have to agree with everything she says." Suki slapped her man on the back of the head and he turned to her with a pout. "What? I'm actually _with_ you, and I don't agree with what you say!"

"Obviously," she muttered. Everyone chuckled.

"I don't plan to agree with everything Katara says. Only when she's right." A companionable silence dropped over the group as they did their best to make sure no food went to waste. After a while, though, Zuko spoke up.

"So, Katara...I was thinking..."

"Now _that's_ dangerous," quipped Toph.

"Shush, you," he retorted. "Anyway – you had mentioned you might like to open medical centers around the world to help treat those that were injured in the war."

"Yeah. I figure if I could get maybe one or two healers per location, and a handful of people with medical backgrounds, it would make such a huge difference." She idly crunched on a crispy komodo chicken sandwich, taking a moment to lick the juices from her hand. He gulped and continued quickly.

"Well, I was thinking...would you like to maybe set one up here, in the capitol? Just as a trial run, to see what you need and what you can improve on for your future endeavors." Her eyes lit up and she chewed hurriedly, swallowing before responding.

"Zuko, that would be - oh, La, that would be amazing! I was going to ask, but – well, with everything, it's just been a bit crazy."

"Can I help?" Suki asked excitedly. "I know a decent amount about medicine – all Kyoshi do. We're trained to be as self-sufficient as possible."

"Oh, I would really love it if you helped out! I know I'm going to be a bit overwhelmed, especially at first." Suki grinned and the two girls high-fived before Katara turned back to her almost-fiance. "But, where would I set it up?" He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"I have an estate just outside the main city walls. It's a fairly small, only about seven bedrooms or so, but it could easily be converted for medical use."

"Seven bedrooms is small?" Sokka asked, reaching for another handful of fireflake-crusted spark-eel nuggets and popping them in his mouth. Toph snickered.

"For a royal – yeah, seven bedrooms is positively tiny. How on earth would you ever fit in there, Sparky?" The firebender laughed.

"It was a secondary estate that belonged to one councilman or another at some point, but after he was executed for rising up against my father, the crown confiscated all of his holdings. It's been empty ever since. I can think of nothing that would make the late Councilor Mati happier than to know his home was able to be of use in repairing damage from the regime he gave his life to fight."

"Well, I'd be happy to go along and remodel as necessary. Most noblemen's estates aren't exactly designed for hospital use," the earthbender said with a grin.

"Toph, that would be great!" Katara said happily. "Sokka – I could use your help too. I'll need someone to make some plans for controlling patient influx and sorting them according to the severity of the cases." Sokka puffed up with pride at being invited along in his sister's endeavor. He began asking questions and Katara answered him, the siblings chatting and brainstorming with ease. Zuko sat in his plush armchair and just watched as she explained her ideas, her hopes. He thought she was beautiful. This time he allowed himself to think it without feeling guilt. She was his best friend, yes, but she was beautiful. Surely it wasn't a sin to think so? And when she was so fired up, so passionate about something she cared so much for – she was stunning. A piece of celery landing in his lap distracted him and he looked up to see Suki and Toph both looking at him – or at least in his direction. It dawned on him he was probably staring, and he blushed even as he mouthed his thanks. It would never do to be caught staring, at least not when they were only with friends. He almost longed for the daytime hours when she would be accompanying him on occasion and no one would find it odd that he gazed at his bride-to-be.

"Zuko – do we have any meetings to go to tomorrow?" Katara's excited voice cut into his musing and he thought for a moment.

"Well, we have the trade ambassadors from the Earth Kingdom coming in fairly early, but I think the rest of the day is free – or at least, it's nothing I can't juggle."

"You're going to meetings with him?" Sokka questioned, confused.

"Of course I am. For all anyone knows I'm going to be ruling beside him. It would look very suspicious if I seemed to have no interest in the country I am supposed to be marrying into."

"Besides, it is quite entertaining to have her there. She gets very...creative," Zuko said with a grin. Katara just groaned and ducked her head.

"Don't remind me. I can't believe you let me say that!"

"Oh, this I gotta hear!" Toph crowed, scooting closer to the group and snatching another honey biscuit.

"Zuko, don't you dare say anything..." she growled, knowing it for a lost cause before she'd even finished her warning.

"Well," Zuko began, ignoring the evil looks Katara was shooting his way, "we all know that our Katara has a tendency to speak her mind, especially when she thinks someone's being stupid."

"Oh yeah," Suki agreed, the others nodding and chuckling.

"So today, after we made our grand entrance and announced our betrothal to my council – by the way, you were wonderful, did I ever tell you that?" he asked the waterbender, whose expression seemed to be unable to decide between being humiliated and being flattered. "Anyway, Katara walked in beside me, calm as you please, and just stared them all down while I spoke. I ended up firing one of the advisors, and the rest just fell right into line without any problems, one or two going so far as to wish us a happy and fruitful marriage. After that I pulled the discussion around to actual work. I've been trying to convince my advisors to relinquish the Fire Nation colonies to the sovereignty of the countries they are located in, but it's been slow going, mostly because a good portion of my council makes money off of those colonies and are reluctant to give up the income.

"Anyway, the most vociferous of my advisors – Ko Lhan – was protesting up a storm and in the middle of his tirade Katara just leans forward, crosses her arms on the top of the table, and asks in a very kind and concerned voice if he's been to see a doctor lately. It threw him off and he sputtered before asking her why on earth she would assume he needed to see a doctor. And our dear sweet Katara just looks at him with this, this flawlessly innocent expression and says 'Well, Advisor Ko, it's just that I feel there is no way you'll ever get your head out of your rear without surgical assistance. It seems to be wedged in there quite deeply.'"

The room exploded in laughter and Zuko watched, pride and amusement in his expression, as Katara buried her face in one of the decorative couch pillows. Sokka was gasping for breath as he and Suki held each other in their mirth. Toph had simply rolled over onto her back and drummed her heels on the floor.

"Sugar Queen, you are my new hero!" she chortled. "I would have paid good money to see that – all those stuffy men thinking they know best how to run the show...oh, that is so awesome!"

"What's even more impressive, though," Zuko continued once the laughter died down a bit, "is that after she said that she just waved her hand and he sat down and shut up. Then she convinced them all that the social acclaim they would garner for being generous and allowing their colony lands to revert to the countries they had been claimed from would be far more profitable than holding onto lands that didn't want to be held. She proceeded to spin a future of positive trade agreements and financial benefits that had most of them smiling as they mentally counted up the gold they could possibly stand to gain. All without batting an eye. I swear, it was the most incredible thing I have ever seen."

"It wasn't that great. I just had to appeal to their greed. That's the only reason they wanted to hold onto the colonies, after all." She'd released her head from underneath the pillow, but his overt praise kept her blush alive as she avoided looking at anyone.

"It was amazing, 'Tara," he insisted softly. "You managed in the course of three hours to end a conflict I have been facing for the last two months, and you did it without making them feel as though they were being forced to give up anything they didn't want to." He sighed. "I wish I had half your skill with people, I really do. Maybe you should be the Fire Lord and I'll take over managing the hospitals."

"Oh, no you don't mister," she retorted. "You wanted to be Fire Lord – you got it. No way will I let you get your hands on _my_ medical centers."

"Fine. Just stay on call for when I need someone insulted or some sense smacked into a noble or two. Sound good?"

"Now that I can do," she said with a smug grin.

"Hey, I want to smack a noble! Can I smack a noble?" Sokka said with glee. Katara just shook her head and threw the pillow at her brother.

"Nope. Smacking nobles is all my responsibility."

"Well, that's just not fair! Why can't I smack nobles?"

"Because last time I checked you're not the Fire Lord's wife-to-be," she said smugly.

"Thank Agni for that," Zuko said with a horrified shudder.

"Yeah, no kidding!" agreed Sokka with a similar disgusted expression. Laughter rang out once more, and Zuko thought that at this moment, with the people he cared about surrounding him, and Katara at his side – regardless of the reason – life was pretty close to perfect.

* * *

"We are so pleased to have come to such a mutually profitable agreement, and so quickly." The round, short, perpetually smiling Earth Kingdom man bowed to Katara and Zuko, his retinue of advisors following suit. Zuko bowed in return and Katara curtseyed as well; the gesture of respect – something Fire Lord Ozai would never have shown to any delegate, regardless of reason – was an obvious surprise to the visiting ambassadors.

"As are we, Trade Master Kiyang. This contract will hold much benefit for both the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation. Our people thank you for your willingness to meet and treat with us. It has been a pleasure to work with such respectable men."

"The honor is ours, Fire Lord Zuko, and may I be so forward as to congratulate you as well on your choice of political partner?" The rotund man smiled approvingly at Katara. "Such a shrewd businesswoman and logical thinker would be quite a gain to any throne. And her beauty is certainly an asset in itself. It almost makes me sorrowful that we did not claim her for the Earth Kingdom first." His grin was kind, with good humor in it, and Katara found she couldn't take offense at the allusion that she was a prize to be won, not when it was so obviously meant as a sincere compliment. It didn't stop the slight pinkening of her cheeks when Zuko turned to her, his eyes warm and loving.

"I am a very lucky man, indeed, that Master Katara would accept the suit of one so flawed as I. I only hope I can someday prove myself worthy of her." The words were completely appropriate coming from a young ruler in love, and she was impressed with the way he was playing his part, though the force of that affectionate gaze on her did nothing for her composure. She gathered herself enough to respond.

"Honestly, my lord, it is I who should strive to be worthy of this kind and intelligent man, who is proving himself to be such a benevolent and thoughtful ruler to his people," she demurred, and saw the delegates nod their approval of the exchange.

"Would I be right to assume your formal announcement will be sometime soon?" Kiyang asked pleasantly. Zuko turned his eyes from hers and she almost sighed with the loss of that visual connection.

"The official betrothal announcement is set for two days hence, shortly after the morning meal. As is traditional in this country, the day will be declared a holiday, and shall be celebrated as such every year until the date of our wedding, at which point the wedding date itself will become the holiday."

"I am very pleased, then, that my advisors and I will still be present to hear the joyous news, Lord Zuko. Being witness to something that will doubtless bring such happiness to the Fire Nation is an honor we won't take lightly. We wish you a long and happy union with much joy and many heirs." The Trade Master bowed once more, as did his people, but this time the Fire Nation was not expected to return the gesture, and with a few more pleasantries the nine delegates departed, leaving Zuko to slump into his chair once the doors were closed. He eyed Katara with an expression only slightly removed from awe.

"You are amazing, 'Tara," he breathed, and she felt her cheeks heating again. _Damn these blushes!_

"Not really," she said, dropping into her own chair beside him. She'd been a bit shocked to enter the council room that morning and find a second chair at the head of the table, a slightly more feminine version of his own padded chair. When she'd asked about it, he simply smiled and said that as his equal partner it was only fitting she not be expected to sit in the same type of chair that his staff and visitors did. It had triggered a warmth in her that had nothing to do with the temperature and everything to do with the regard in his golden gaze.

"You really need to stop with the modesty, waterbender," he teased. "Maybe I should just appoint you Minister of International Affairs and have you handle all of these meetings by yourself – you obviously don't need me."

"Zuko, stop it. Without you here they never would have given me a second glance as anything but an eligible woman. Definitely not as someone with an opinion to be heard. I may be the future Fire Lady in their eyes, but without the Fire Lord at my side I am just a woman to most people."

"Well, that's just because they don't know you well enough yet. You could never be 'just a woman,' Katara." He blinked rapidly, as though having said something he hadn't meant to, and changed the subject quickly.

"Which reminds me, how did you know that their coastal croplands had been suffering so badly? My trade advisors weren't even aware of that detail. It made a great deal of difference in this agreement, I have to say."

"I doubt your trade advisors spend much time speaking with commoners in the town squares and marketplaces. When we were on the run – back when it was just myself, my brother, and Aang - Sokka and I stopped in a small town in the southern Earth Kingdom for supplies, and since he was busy chatting up the daughter of one of the merchants I found myself talking with a root vendor, who had mentioned that the unseasonable storms that had been hitting their coastal cities had damaged much of their water-based crops and farms, thus driving the prices up around the kingdom. She had family in one of those cities, and she was worried for their livelihood if the Earth Kingdom couldn't find a way to rebuild the damaged land." She sighed. "I felt so bad for them. We ended up visiting one of the cities on our way out of the Earth Kingdom, and Aang and I helped to pull the excess water from the soil as well as we could, but as he was barely trained in waterbending at all and I was still learning as well, I'm not sure how helpful we were overall. That's why I figured today that if we as the Fire Nation could send a team of firebenders and agriculturalists to their worst-hit areas and assist in the drying, preparing, and planting of new crops, they might look more favorably on an agreement to give us preferential rates for anything they produce that we might need."

"I'll say it again – you are amazing. No, you don't get to dispute it this time. Just say 'thank you, Zuko.'" She looked at him with a wry smile.

"Thank you, Zuko."

"See? Was that hard? I'll teach you to accept a compliment yet. Now, since I have had my secretaries clear the rest of our day...might I interest my Lady Katara in a trip to the former estates of the late Councilman Mati, there to meet up with our friends to assess its suitability for your ventures?" Eyes wide, Katara just nodded. He rose to his feet gracefully and extended a hand to her, and the warmth of his skin when she took it made her heart skip a beat or two. She cleared her throat.

"I would be delighted to accompany you, my Lord Zuko." He wrapped her arm over his and together they left the council room, the satisfaction of a job well done gleaming almost as brightly as the happiness they had in each others' company.

She'd expected to walk but he reminded her that she was the future Fire Lady, and that whereas if she chose to walk she could, she was also entitled to ride in a palanquin as she wished. Having never had that experience, she giggled when he instructed that one meet them at the front gates. Toph and the others had already set out for the estate while the two of them were in their meeting, and the earthbender had, of course, declined the offer of a ride, so on foot their three friends should be reaching their destination at about the same time Zuko and Katara would be. As they walked to the palace front gates, they found themselves talking in depth on one or another topic of managing a nation and building rapport with other countries. Their voices were low, since they were walking side by side, and neither of them was aware of the picture they painted to all who watched – the elegance of the couple and their obvious affection for one another had servants and visiting dignitaries alike smiling at their passing. And when he handed her up into the palanquin, taking a brief moment to kiss her knuckles gently, more than one sigh escaped the lips of their anonymous observers.

"This is...interesting," she said as she settled into the admittedly comfortable cushions and tried to ignore the way her fingers still seemed to tingle from the light brush of his lips.

"It's a more reasonable form of transportation in crowded streets than most others. Animals take up more space, and can sometimes be spooked by odd sounds or strange smells, and if you're traveling to, say, the outer edges of the city – or to an estate on the outside of the wall, as we are – it's a bit swifter than walking." She missed half of what he said as he settled himself into place, the palanquin definitely having been designed with closeness in mind. They were pressed together from shoulder to hip, and though it wasn't the first time they'd ever sat so close, somehow knowing that right now they weren't just Katara and Zuko, but the Fire Lord and his future wife, made the position seem more intimate, less two friends sitting together and more two lovers cuddling. She shook herself and mentally cursed Suki for her perceptiveness and her blunt observations. If the other girl had never said anything, Katara knew she wouldn't have had half of the problems she was having right now, but their conversation from the night before wouldn't stop beating against her mind. As such she wasn't speaking much, and Zuko seemed to misinterpret the silence.

"Is everything okay, Katara? You seem really quiet." She blinked and hurried to reassure him

"No, no, everything's fine. I was just thinking." She shifted a bit and he cleared his throat, looking out through the filmy curtains.

"Yeah, I forgot how cramped these things could be. I'm sorry." She realized he thought she was uncomfortable sitting so close to him, and suddenly felt horrible. This was Zuko – her closest friend. If she couldn't get her own thoughts and reactions under control enough to not hurt him, what kind of friend was she? With that in mind she turned to him with a grin, playfully nudging his shoulder with her own as she spoke.

"Yeah, 'cause it was the height of space and elegance to cram six or more of us on the back of a flying bison." He snickered at that, looking for a moment like a younger and less formal version of himself – like the boy he'd been when he first began traveling with them.

"Those were the days, weren't they?" he sighed wistfully. "I mean, yeah, there was still war and we were facing our deaths every day. But we had fun. We worked well as a team, and we enjoyed ourselves, even amongst the fighting and the danger. I almost miss it."

"Me too. Sometimes I like to just close my eyes and remember the laughter and the occasional chaos – like that one time Suki decided Sokka needed to practice his Kyoshi fighting and chased him around the forest for two hours smacking him with her fan." She giggled at the memory of her 'manly' brother screaming like a girl and trying to escape his girlfriend.

"What about when Momo hid your bag of fruit on that ledge at the air temple and Toph's earthbending shook it loose and they splattered all over her?" Zuko's chuckle was fond – he'd been the first to turn and see the sticky, dripping earthbender standing in shock as she was covered in juices and chunks of fruit.

"Oh, oh, or that time..?"

"Do you remember when..?"

Their trip was filled with fond and amusing memories, each recounting their favorites to the other in turn. By the time they arrived at their destination they were laughing hard enough to need to lean on one another for support. Zuko climbed shakily out of the palanquin, turning to offer Katara his hand to help her down, but she was so wrapped up in her mirth that her foot tangled in one of the blankets and instead of dismounting properly she hurtled through the air with all the grace of a drunken bear, landing on Zuko and flinging them both to the ground. This only made them laugh harder, tears streaming down their cheeks as they lay on the dirt.

"Is this a Fire Nation tradition I'm unaware of?" Suki's wry voice cut in, and the two looked up to see their three friends standing a few feet away regarding them as though they'd lost their minds. It suddenly crossed Katara's mind what kind of a picture they must present: her crashed down on top of Zuko, a blanket wrapped around her ankle and trailing back up into the palanquin, both of them dusty and ruffled from the fall and the dirt beneath them, laughing until they cried. The look on their faces made her laugh even harder and she gave up holding herself up at all, collapsing on Zuko's chest with a loud gasp. He wasn't faring much better, though he did have the presence of mind to try and sit up, one arm wrapping around her waist to keep her from falling over as he reached down to disentangle her foot from the blanket.

"I don't think I even _want_ to ask," Sokka groaned, shaking his head. He was the first to offer a hand to the two still-chuckling members of their party. After some wriggling and cooperation Zuko and Katara had managed to get her free of the wispy blanket and she stood on shaky feet, trying to get her breath back but only partially succeeding. Sokka helped Zuko up as well and just grinned as the two giggling teens tried in vain to brush all of the dirt and grass from their fancy clothing. The Fire Lord gave up first.

"The maids will have a field day with this one," he said with a shrug. Katara, still breathing hard from their exertion, nodded her agreement.

"Just tell them it's a water tribe custom to wrestle in the dirt with your betrothed once a month." She grinned at him and he smiled back, and had she not been watching him she would have completely missed the spark that blazed in his eyes; quickly there and quickly gone, nonetheless it ignited an answering fire within her and she nearly choked.

"Well, now that everyone's on their feet again, can we go look at this place? I'm itching to restructure some rooms and stuff!" Toph's voice shattered the almost-moment and Katara wasn't sure if she should breath a sigh of relief or smack the girl with a water whip. Still, it got them all moving and the five friends began the trek down the hard-packed lane to the building at the end of it.

* * *

Author's note: Updates two days in a row! Yay! Why, you ask? Because tomorrow is my fifth anniversary and the hubby and I are celebrating with a camping trip to a lake - therefore, I won't be updating again until we get back next week. So I leave you with another chapter - enjoy!

Also, I have had a review or two and quite a few PMs asking me where I got the idea for the formal Binding Dissolutions mentioned in the last chapter. I can't say I got them from anywhere in particular - it just occurred to me as I was writing the chapter that there is nothing that people in power like more than to have labels and definitions for every little thing. And the higher one gets in the spheres of power the more those labels would come into play. I always thought it weird that some stories have had betrothals break with something as simple as 'Yeah, we don't want to do this anymore,' especially when the people involved are high in a political spectrum. So it made more sense to have rules, formalities, and reasons behind such things. At least, in my mind it did. :-D


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: I'm ba-ack! The vacation was wonderful - the lake was beautiful, and the weather was absolutely awesome. So, to celebrate a wonderful set of days off spent with my wonderful husband...here's the next chapter. :)

* * *

The girls had disappeared somewhere in the upper level of the house, their voices audible only as murmurs as they explored. Zuko was standing at the foot of the stairs with Sokka, the latter making some quick notes as he took in the structure and stability of the staircase. He was asking questions about accessibility, ease of access for people with mobility problems, whether or not the upstairs rooms would be solely for recuperating patients or if there would need to be full medical setups in any of them, and Zuko answered as well as he could while attempting to curtail the memory of Katara sprawled on top of him, those flawless blue eyes lit with happiness. It was taking a lot of work, partially hindered by the fact that he didn't really want to push it to the back of his mind, and as such his answers were getting more vague and unclear with every passing minute. He didn't notice when Sokka stopped talking and regarded him with a suspiciously curious gaze. He was just staring up the staircase and smiling to himself as he listened to her muffled, yet happy squeals. At that moment she skidded around a corner, the other two right behind her, and flung herself down the stairs at to stand in front of him, giddy as a girl.

"Zuko, this is amazing! We can really set up the hospital here?" She could have asked him for the moon on a string at that point and he would have apologized sincerely to Yue before yanking her from the sky.

"Absolutely. Decide what you want to do and it'll be done."

"Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you!" She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and darted back up the stairs, eagerly chatting with Toph about rearranging some of the structure, Suki interjecting thoughts and ideas as the trio disappeared around another corner and out of sight. He just stared helplessly after her.

"From one man to another, you're _so_ whipped." Zuko shook his head and turned to the warrior, having almost forgotten his presence. The look Sokka was giving him was part commiseration, part worry. "It's okay. Katara has a way of doing that to people."

"I just want to help her," Zuko said, clearing his throat and wondering exactly how observant his companion was. "She's doing me a huge favor by agreeing to this fake betrothal so I can get my country on its feet – I owe her more than I can ever repay." Somehow he knew that Sokka understood he meant more than just their current arrangement.

"My sister is an amazing woman."

"Yes, she is," Zuko agreed, not knowing about the soft smile he was wearing. The boomerang-wielder saw it, though, and understood its meaning far more quickly than most would have given him credit for.

"She is an amazing woman," Sokka reiterated before continuing, "but she is still a woman. They see things differently than we do. In a lot of ways they are stronger than men could ever be. It took me a while to understand that," he chuckled. "Good thing for me Suki's forgiving." Zuko was suddenly wondering exactly where this conversation was going, but was hesitant to ask. Luckily he didn't have to.

"I know Katara is closer to you than she is to anyone else in the world. She would give everything she has, even her life, to help you, and you would do the same for her. I never thought I would see it – the day that we not only found a firebender worth knowing but that he would become such a good friend to us both." Sokka's hand came to rest on Zuko's shoulder in a sign of respect and mutual friendship, and the former prince was struck by how much the simple gesture meant to him. About that time, the other man's fingers tightened on his shoulder almost to the point of pain and his blue eyes turned cold, his voice protective.

"That said, if you break my sister's heart I will destroy you. She cares for everyone, it's in her nature, but it's different with you and anyone who looks can see it. You know I have had my doubts about this entire arrangement, but it wasn't for the reasons you think. I trust you with my sister's virtue, with her happiness...but I don't think you realize just what a gift she has given you by agreeing to this plan. And if it comes down to a choice between you and her, I would gladly slit your throat and leave you to rot. Are we clear?" The intensity of Sokka's words, the determination and resolve he felt emanating from his friend, was both totally unexpected and yet not surprising in the least. He knew in that moment he had to tell Sokka exactly what he felt. The other man deserved nothing less than honesty. Swallowing hard, Zuko prepared to voice the one thing he had never said, even to himself.

"I love her."

"I know." Zuko looked at Sokka in shock, and the fighter just flashed his lopsided grin. "You look at her sometimes like I look at Suki. It's kind of obvious if anyone pays attention. And when it concerns Katara, I pay attention. Close attention." Zuko took a deep breath.

"I'll admit this idea was created first to give us both the freedom we needed to get our turtleducks in a row. I didn't realize how hard it would be to play the part of her betrothed knowing that it's all an act." He snorted wryly. "She's become such a vital part of my life now – not just mine, either. Do you know my advisors are calling her the best thing to ever happen to the Fire Nation? It's been less than a week and she has an entire phalanx of stuffy old men who detest change eating out of the palm of her hand. The Earth Kingdom delegates we met with earlier today were so impressed with her compassion and her desire to help not only the Fire Nation but everyone else as well that several of them looked near tears. The palace staff isn't sure whether to revere her for her kindness or scold her for her independence. Sokka, in the past few days she has shown herself to be everything – EVERYTHING – my country needs in a ruler. I feel inadequate next to her. And sometimes, I look at her and I see her as the true Fire Lady and I see how much my people will love her and it damn near breaks me because if she's made this much of an impact in just a few short days then my people will be crushed when the betrothal dissolves in eighteen months."

"You'll be crushed too, Zuko," Sokka said with quiet certainty, his hand once more gentle on his shoulder. The firebender shook his head.

"I can deal. My pain doesn't matter when I weigh it against my country." Sokka just arched an eyebrow and Zuko felt his strength fade. Suddenly weary, he turned to sit down on the stairs. "You're right. How do I let her go? She's the most important thing in my life. How can I just let her walk away when our arrangement is over?"

"Easy. You don't." Gold eyes snapped up to meet blue ones, and Sokka shrugged. "If you love her that much, she needs to know." He shook his head. "I can't believe I'm telling a firebender to go after my own sister," he grumbled jokingly before turning solemn. "Seriously, Zuko. At the end of eighteen months Katara will walk away from this because she'll believe she's doing the best thing for you and for your people. She will leave and never look back because she will think that the right thing for the Fire Nation will be for you to find a real bride to share the throne with and rebuild your country."

"She's more suited to that position than any other woman in the world could ever be," protested Zuko. Sokka just nodded.

"You know that. I know that. Our friends know that. Apparently even your court knows that. But unless you tell her, she _won't_ know that, and she will do exactly as she feels she must. And I'm pretty sure neither of you would do so well when that happens" Zuko sighed and Sokka flopped down beside him on the stairs. "You have a year and a half, Zuko. Sometime in there I know you'll have the chance to talk to her. If you want her as your Fire Lady, you need to have that talk. You need to let her know that you love her, because she's nothing if not noble, even at the expense of her own happiness."

"But how do I convince her I'm serious – that I don't want this to end, that I want her beside me forever?" Sokka just grinned.

"Court her. For real. Don't let the charade be a charade. You love her? Earn hers in return. You'll treat her right. I know it - everyone knows it. So it's time to show her that you mean it." Sokka's grin grew wider, and Zuko felt a brief flash of worry. When Sokka got that look, it never boded well. "Don't you have a betrothal announcement to make here soon?"

"Yes..." the Fire Lord said hesitantly.

"And aren't you supposed to kiss her when you introduce her to your people?"

"Yes..."

"So kiss her like you mean it. Trust me, any woman can tell the difference between a kiss that is just for appearances and one that's actually true. It's, like, some sort of instinct or something with them." Zuko's mind flickered over the thought, tasted it, filed it away.

"It might work," he said, his voice quiet and unsure.

"Of course it'll work. Trust me, man, I know what I'm talking about. How do you think I landed my girl?"

"If I recall correctly, Suki landed you."

"Eh, unimportant." Sokka waved his hand nonchalantly. "Anyway, You have a year and a half to convince her you're serious. I'm sure at some point you'll come up with something not too stupid."

"Gee, thanks," Zuko grumbled.

"Anytime, man." Anything else Sokka would have said was cut short by the sound of feet on the upstairs landing. Both of them stood and turned to face the girls as they walked downstairs. Toph came first, leaping over the banister and bending a platform of rock from the floor to catch herself.

"Sparky, this place is gonna be awesome. Good thing you held onto it."

"You know the Fire Nation – once they decide they want something they don't let go," Sokka said with a snort and a meaningful glance at the firebender. Zuko just shook his head and turned to Katara. She was covered in dust now as well as dirt and grass, her formerly pristine clothing rumpled and creased, her hair in slight disarray, tumbling down her back and threaded with cobwebs. She looked like she'd been crawling through a mine shaft. Her eyes were bright, her cheeks flushed with excitement, there was a smudge across the side of her face and her hands were grimy. He had never seen anything so beautiful in his life. Swallowing hard, he made up his mind – Sokka was right. If he wanted to have her at his side, he would need to earn it. And there was nothing he had ever wanted so much.

"So, will this work out for what you need?" Her smile was radiant.

"It's perfect. It's more than perfect. We're going to have to make a few changes – Sokka, did you start the list of things we'll have to do to make it easier for people to get around?" She turned to Sokka and he waved his parchment in the air. "Good. Great. I'm so excited! Thank you, Zuko – thank you so much!" She flung herself at him and he caught her in a hug, her arms around his waist feeling so much like home. His mind spun with the feel of her against him, her light scent tickling his nose, and he buried his face in her hair as he hugged her back.

"Of course, 'Tara," he murmured. "You're helping me win my dreams – what kind of friend would I be if I didn't do all I could to see that you achieved yours?" She glanced up at him, making no move to leave his embrace, and he knew he could lose everything he was in those ocean-blue eyes.

"Zuko...I don't even know how to repay you." He shook his head, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

"You don't have to repay anything. But if you insist that you should, then you can do it by making this the best damned hospital any of the nations has ever seen. I know you can do it." The smudge on her cheek was blocking part of the flush that raced across her face and he couldn't stand that, so he rubbed his thumb gently over the dirt until it disappeared. Their faces were so close...it would have been the matter of a second to lean down, to brush his lips over hers...

"We should totally head back to the palace to get some more definite plans down, don't you think?" Suki's voice sounded a bit amused and the spell was shattered, Katara taking a quick step back though she reached down to hold his hand. That little bit of connection was the only thing that kept him from feeling utterly bereft without her warmth in his arms. He had the sudden urge to toss a fireball at the auburn-haired female, but her expression was both innocent and playful and he knew she was right – a dusty, stuffy, boarded-up mansion wasn't exactly the best place to kiss Katara for the first time.

"Yeah – and we can talk over dinner. I'm starving!"

"Snoozles, you're always starving," Toph interjected. Sokka puffed up indignantly.

"Well, I am a growing warrior, after all."

"I don't think ego counts," the earthbender shot back. With that everyone began heading for the door to begin their trek back to the palace, Toph and Sokka sniping at one another while Suki just laughed at the ever-more-creative insults the pair came up with. Zuko didn't trust himself to ride back in such close confines with Katara at the moment, so when she started walking he paused, making her look up at him with a question on her face. He just grinned.

"What do you say we walk with everyone? I know you've got a lot to discuss with them, and I don't think either of us is up to tumbling out of another palanquin today. It was a bit painful."

"I dunno...my landing was pretty comfortable," she said teasingly before turning to catch up with the others, leaving one very startled Fire Lord standing in the open doorway trying to figure out exactly what she had meant by that. After a few minutes he broke out in a jog and rejoined his friends, their conversation filling up the long walk back.

* * *

The next day saw Katara joining Zuko for even more meetings, her logic and compassion working wonders against the cynical and often greedy delegates and advisors they encountered at every turn. She often wondered how any of these men had ever managed to build their fortunes, considering the general lack of common sense and fair play that seemed the hallmark of men in power. Or maybe she was just too female or to accustomed to working for what she wanted to understand the mechanics of the minds of male nobles. Either way, the Water Tribe girl was torn between frustration and amusement on a regular basis and more than once she leaned over to Zuko to ask him in a whisper how in the name of Tui and La he ever managed to put up with the pointless babble and power plays. He would just look at her and smile, then place his hand over hers and squeeze it lightly before turning his attention back to the matters at hand. All of the morning and a chunk of the afternoon disappeared in this way, with only a brief break to have some lunch and stretch their legs, but by early evening the two had efficiently cleared not only their schedule for that day, but had managed to work in most of the appointments for the following day as well – something she was very pleased to hear.

"We have two short meetings in the morning, and the betrothal announcement before lunch. Then the rest of the day is free to do whatever you want." He was leaning back in his chair, long legs stretched out and his feet propped up on the table – a pose that looked both comfortable and completely insolent, proof that he was still utterly Zuko regardless of the formal robes and the golden flame in his hair that marked his rulership. She returned to her seat and leaned across it sideways, draping her legs over one arm and leaning her shoulder into the back of the large chair.

"So is there some sort of special ceremony for this announcement? In our Tribe betrothals aren't really formal but it's usually followed by a lot of food and dancing and celebrating." He nodded.

"For most of the Fire Nation, it's very similar. But as I am nobility and you will soon be, there are certain protocols and procedures."

"Such as?" He tilted his head to the side and met her gaze with his own, the gold of his eyes full of warmth.

"Well, for starters, you're going to have a special set of clothing – it's a traditional first gift from the one who holds higher title in the relationship – in this case, me. They'll be delivered to your rooms early in the morning. I'll try and make sure they remember you're a child of the moon...maybe I can get them to not show up at daybreak." He grinned at her, and she chuckled.

"That would be wonderful." The early morning hours were something Katara had yet to completely acclimatize to. "What else?"

"When we meet at the public balcony, Uncle Iroh will already be there. He will begin the announcement by calling the attention of everyone gathered, thanking them for their attendance, and then ceding the floor to me. At this point I will step out, thank him, and then proceed to speak to everyone. I'll introduce you, so when I turn and hold out my hand that's your cue to walk up and join me at the railing. If you want you can say something, but it's not required so if you just want to come out and stand with me that's fine as well. We will turn and face each other, linking our hands together and lifting them up to place them on the banister so that the crowd can see them. The Head Fire Sage will come out and perform the ritual blessings for our union, we kiss, and it's done. After that the day is declared a holiday, so I thought we might all head to the estate and get started on some of the preliminary work – I know Sokka's been working feverishly on those plans for the remodeling. He and Toph spent the morning talking, I believe -" She hadn't heard much of the latter part of his explanation, her brain having frozen in place with the utterance of two words, and she blurted an interruption without even really realizing it.

"We kiss?" To his credit he didn't attempt to look surprised. Instead his visage was a bit hesitant, a bit sheepish, and there was a plea for understanding in his eyes. She thought he hadn't looked so insecure since he first asked to join them at the Air Temple.

"Yeah. It's a custom after the blessing, to show that we are both devoted to this course of action. It's nothing major – just a quick kiss. I understand if it makes you feel uncomfortable." She blinked. It made her feel something, but she didn't really think 'uncomfortable' was part of it. She could tell he thought she was upset by the idea, though, and hastened to reassure him.

"No, no, it's not that. I just...wasn't expecting it, that's all." He didn't look reassured, so she reached her foot out and nudged his calf, smiling to try and lighten the mood. "It's not like it's something horrible – unless you're absolutely disgusted by the thought of kissing me, that is." The astonishment on his face said volumes.

"Why would I be disgusted? I get to kiss a beautiful woman in front of my people – and then have a day free of all royal responsibilities and duties as a result. You know, I really like this idea." His tone turned thoughtful and he stroked his chin in a manner reminiscent of Sokka, making her laugh. "Perhaps I should make this a weekly law. I'm sure I could find some old tenets to support it..." She didn't miss that he had called her beautiful, though she was working hard on controlling the blush that wanted to jump into place. And she had to admit the idea of kissing him even briefly held a lot of appeal – as did the freedom from work.

"Maybe you should. I'm sure your people would like it as well. Just rename one day as 'Kiss Day' and watch your popularity soar." He looked at her slyly.

"That means I'd need someone to meet with me once a week on the balcony to kiss. I don't think you'd want to delegate that, since we're supposedly going to be married and all."

"Well, it's a tough job, but if someone's got to do it then I suppose I could...endure it." She didn't mean for her voice to drop on those last words but it did, and she was amazed when his eyes widened, shock in his gaze. He shook his head a few times.

"Agni, Katara, you're going to be the death of me," he muttered, and she was fairly sure he didn't know he'd spoken aloud so she decided to say nothing, running her hands down her legs to smooth out robes that weren't wrinkled. There was a bit of a tense silence, neither quite knowing exactly what to say to recover the conversation, but at that moment they were saved by sound of the door to the room opening.

"Ahh, there you two are, Zuko, Katara," Iroh said as he wandered in, heading towards their end of the table. "I have to compliment you, my dear. I've never heard so many people singing the praises of a Fire Nation negotiator in all of my years. You've made quite the impression on the other nations." He waved away her attempts to rise, instead simply leaning over to hug her in greeting. She just smirked.

"Sometimes I wonder how the Fire Nation has managed if its rulers were so diplomatically inept." Iroh shrugged, a solemn look on his face.

"This has indeed been the case in the past, but one must consider that a nation built and maintained on war does not have much use for diplomacy." His statement shook most of the humor from their exchange, and Katara nodded her understanding.

"So Uncle, are preparations for the announcement complete?" Zuko hadn't bothered to move, though he did wave an inviting hand at the older man, encouraging him to sit at his leisure. Iroh did so, sighing as he settled into a chair to their right.

"Nearly. The dressmakers have finished the gift, and I may have implied that getting on the future Fire Lady's bad side by knocking at her door at sunrise might not be the wisest idea."

"Thank you," Katara said with a fervent sigh. Iroh grinned at her.

"Of course. Our people will need to adjust to your ways as much as you will need to adapt to ours. There is no need for you to be the one making all the sacrifices for this agreement." Zuko didn't bother to hide his grin at that, but said nothing.

"Also," continued the older man, "the post-announcement banquet lunch has been planned and the kitchens have begun preparation of the more elaborate dishes."

"Will everything be as I've asked?" the younger firebender asked, and though Katara was curious about his vague statement apparently it meant something to his uncle.

"Without fail, Nephew."

"Good," Zuko said with a self-satisfied air.

"I've ordered the far courtyard cleared and decorated appropriately – since this is going to be the first time a Fire Lord's betrothal has been announced, I fear the central courtyard would not have been large enough to hold the attendees."

"I hadn't thought of that," mused Zuko.

"I know. That's why you have me around. Well that, and because I make delicious tea."

"Speaking of, who's watching the Jasmine Dragon in your absence?" Katara asked, having wondered that very thing but forgetting to ask previously. Iroh smiled.

"Due to the popularity of my little tea house, I've hired a few more people. One of them is a very capable woman named Chu Li – a former Earth Kingdom restaurant hostess. She is very capable, and I have every faith that in her hands my shop is enjoying its customary prosperity."

"Oh, that's good! I'm so happy for you, Uncle," she said with genuine fondness.

"Thank you, my dear. But back on the subject at hand...have you explained the ceremony to her, Zuko?" The young lord nodded.

"We were just discussing that, in fact." No mention of the way the discussion had ended, Katara noticed with a slight smile.

"Very good." The old man's smile was wicked, mischievous. "I expect nothing but an excellent show from the two of you – arrangement or not, your people won't be happy with a peck on the cheek."

"Uncle," Zuko growled warningly while Katara suddenly found the folds of her robes to be dreadfully fascinating. The Dragon of the West held up his hands in a placating gesture, perfectly portrayed innocence on his features.

"I was just informing you of your peoples' wishes," he said in a voice free of guile.

"I'll bet," Zuko muttered.

"So, since your business for the day has been concluded, might I suggest an early dinner? I believe young Miss Suki and Master Toph have plans to steal your lovely betrothed away later for something they term 'necessary conversation.' And I know Chief Hakoda had wanted to discuss something with you concerning some of the Water Tribe betrothal customs." Katara groaned and buried her head in her hands, muttering words that sounded suspiciously like 'he'd better not...he'd _really_ better not...' Zuko, now curious, just nodded.

"Dinner sounds wonderful, actually. I was about to suggest it myself. We ate lunch fairly early because we didn't want to interrupt the meeting with the financial advisors."

"That's wonderful. Well, I've got a few more things to check, but I'll see you two in the dining hall." Iroh stood and with a final hug for both of them left the room.

"Water Tribe betrothal customs?" Zuko asked with a smile. Katara refused to meet his eyes. "Oh, come on, they can't be so bad. Can they?"

"You have no idea," she grumbled. He laughed out loud and rose to his feet, offering her his hand. She looked up at him and he was surprised to see pink on her cheeks. He couldn't resist. "These must be some customs," he teased. To his delight she turned positively red, almost purple, and when she took his hand she nearly bounced out of her chair, practically dragging him to the door.

"Let's get this over with. You'll understand when you talk to my father." They reached the door and he paused, tugging her hand and drawing her gaze to his and taking her other hand as well.

"Katara, I promise, if there is anything that makes you uncomfortable, I don't care whose traditions they are, we don't have to follow them." Her smile was a bit sheepish.

"It's not that it's uncomfortable, really, just...oh, you'll find out." She took a step closer to him and he fought against his desire to slip his hands from hers to rest them on her hips. "But thank you, for the thought." Blue. His world was blue, shining and deep and so beautiful he felt he was sliding into the ocean on a moonlit night. She blinked, her long lashes fluttering down over her eyes and he managed to snap himself out of his reverie. With one smooth movement he had her arm tucked into his and they began walking out of the room.

"Let's go get dinner. Then you can be whisked away for girl time and I'll speak with your father."

"Oh, gods...Toph _and_ Suki?" she moaned, apparently just realizing what Iroh had said.

"Something wrong?" She shook her head a bit abruptly.

"No, not at all, really. But they're...well, when they get something in their minds they really don't let go." She didn't elaborate, and Zuko found himself wondering exactly what types of apparent embarrassment they would be facing in their respective evenings.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's note: So after the snafu that was the FF net site upgrade this morning, I vowed I wasn't going to post until they at least fixed my damn stat tracker. Luckily for you all, they did. And so in lieu of a happy-happy dance, I'm posting another chapter. I'm assuming you'd all like that more than a dance anyway.

* * *

"Wait...so you're telling me that if someone calls out 'kiss' you guys have to kiss? No matter where you are or what you're doing?"

"Suki, please don't sound so happy about that. It could cause a lot of problems." Katara was stretched out on her stomach on her bed, glaring at her future sister with an expression that could only be called pleading exasperation. Toph piped up from her seat on the floor.

"It could cause a lot of other stuff, too, eh Sugar Queen?" Toph said, waggling her eyebrows comically. The earthbender and the warrior were laughing together and Katara just groaned and slammed her head into her pillow again.

"Go away."

"You know Uncle's going to _love_ this tradition," Suki said gleefully, still cracking up.

"You two are horrible."

"I'll just bet he pops into some ultra-important trade meeting and yells it out just to break the tension," Toph agreed, chortling.

"I hate you equally."

"I can just picture it – Zuko heaves a big sigh and Katara rolls her eyes and he says something like 'I'm going to cut off his tea supply' and then she says something like 'We'd better just do it before he gets more annoying' and then they lock lips in front of a room full of merchant advisors and muckety-mucks." The Kyoshi's falsetto voices had the earthbender rolling on the floor.

"You know I could bloodbend you both into jumping out of a tower window, right?"

"What about if they end up sparring again? That would be awesome! Both of them all vicious and throwing fire and water around and then having to break it off in the middle just to kiss 'cause the audience calls for it." Toph was having a hard time talking around her giggling, but her words were totally understandable.

"Death is too kind for you guys."

"Actually, that might not be the best idea – I mean, you know how your emotions tend to ride high while you're bending or fighting. And Zuko's so fiery and untamed when he spars...what if the kiss turned into something more? And in front of a group of people..." Suki's grin was smug.

"Please, Yue, strike me down now." Katara resolved to not say another word, no matter how her two current annoyances tried to bait her.

"True, true. Hey, Fan Girl, is he really as sexy as everyone says? Katara won't tell me, and she said I'm not allowed to ask him if I can feel his chest."

"Oh, possessive already? Does our little waterbender have claws?"

"I guess so. I thought she was gonna smack me when I asked if I could touch him."

"Well, I've gotta say, she does have good taste. Yeah, he's hot – and not just because he's the a firebender. The boy's got a body that just begs to be covered in chocolate..."

"SHUT _UP_!" Katara leapt from her bed, her grand resolve to silence completely forgotten as she glared at her two friends, her face red and her breathing heavy. Suki chuckled.

"So you've already thought of the chocolate thing. Let me know how that works out."

"AAAAAARGHH!" She huffed and dropped back down on her bed, her head falling into her hands. "Guys, just...please. Enough." The mood abruptly shifted, all teasing fading away in a wave of concern. Suki came to sit next to the mortified girl, drawing her close with an arm around her shoulder.

"We tease you because we love you, you know that, right?" Katara sighed.

"I know. But it's just...I mean, this arrangement isn't forever. And the more I think about him like...well, like that...it's already going to be hard enough to break it off as it is. I need to try and stay objective. I can't stand the thought of our friendship being hurt because I'm not strong enough." To her horror she felt tears in her eyes and blinked them away.

"So why break it off then?" Toph asked, sitting up again.

"What?" Katara blinked, sure she misheard her friend.

"If you love him that much, why break it off at all?"

"I...I never said I...that I..." The snort from the girl on the floor summed up her opinion quite nicely.

"Seriously? You're going to try to pull that on us? Come on, Sweetness, be a little smarter."

"Blunt as usual – but she's right, Katara. Why can't this be real?" The blue-eyed girl gaped at her companions.

"Me. As Fire Lady. And Zuko's wife. You've got to be kidding."

"Why? It's obvious you love him – what's wrong with wanting to share your life with him?" Suki's voice was reasonable, and Katara hated it.

"Because...well, because he's the Fire Lord. His people will want him to marry one of their own, regardless of how many proposals he's gotten from the other nations. They'll want a Fire Nation woman on his arm, someone with poise and grace and manners, who knows how to be royal and will breed a passel of firebending heirs. This entire betrothal is just to allow us both some freedom – so he can get his country together and so I can get a start on my medical centers. That's it. There isn't anything more – there can't be anything more." Suki placed her hand under Katara's chin and firmly grasped it, forcing Katara to look up at her.

"If that's the case and you're okay with just letting him go after a year and a half and watching him marry some proper Fire Nation bride...why are you crying?"

"Because I love him!" she gasped out – and fell apart entirely. Suki just held her, letting her sob her sadness, while Toph sat in silent commiseration. After a while, though, the Bei Fong heiress couldn't stay silent.

"You know, I think you're wrong." Katara raised her head with a sniffle.

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it. You've been quote-unquote betrothed for less than a week. It won't even be announced to the people until tomorrow morning. Yet you've pretty much run the show at every meeting you two have been to. The palace staff adores you – the councilors and advisors already listen to your ideas and trust your judgment. Scouts in the marketplace and out amongst the towns say that public looks very favorably on the rumored match. There's even talk of building a memorial statue to you and Zuko, to commemorate the peace and prosperity you two are working so hard to foster. Why is it so unreasonable to think that you would be accepted, even welcomed as the female half of the Fire Nation ruling couple? You've stepped into the shoes of that role already and they fit you in ways no one could have imagined. So I think maybe you should face your fears and think really hard...what does this nation need in a Fire Lady that you are not already handling or capable of handling? And more than that – what does Zuko need in a wife that you wouldn't be willing to provide?" Dead silence covered the room, broken only by Katara's still-thready breathing. After a few moments Suki spoke up.

"She's right, you know. The people already love you. So without that obstacle, what's the problem? What is it really that's holding you back?" It was a long time before they heard their answer.

"I don't want to lose him," the waterbender said in a very small voice. "He's my best friend. He knows me better than I know myself a lot of times. And if I did...step up, if I did suggest that we make this permanent...what if it didn't work out? What if we're more suited to friendship than we could be to marriage? It would hurt so much to try and to fail – I wouldn't be able to stand it if everything fell apart. I need him too much to risk it all on something that may not work."

"But...doesn't it hurt just as much to say you'll never try?" Suki asked quietly. Katara shook her head.

"I can live with what-ifs, I can live with anything, as long as I can still call Zuko my friend. I don't think I'd do so well if that friendship broke. And it's all a moot point anyway, because he doesn't see me like that."

"Like what? His right hand? The person he trusts more than anyone else in the entire world? The girl he _dove in front of lightning_ for?" The blind girl scoffed. "Please, Sugar Queen. He's been willing to give his life for yours more than once. If that doesn't say devotion, I don't know what else would."

"I have to agree with Toph. Katara, you would both do anything for each other. If you love him this much, you owe it to yourself to try. You owe it to _him_ to try." Katara took a deep breath and stared at the floor.

"If I say I'll give it some thought will you guys please just...stop?" They heard the weariness in her voice and both felt slightly bad about pushing so hard on something that was so difficult for their friend to deal with. Toph nodded, and Suki gave the waterbender another hug.

"We'll stop. We just...you've always watched out for all of us, made sure we're safe and happy and taken care of us though it was never really your job. We want to return the favor. We want to look out for you for once and help you find your happiness."

"Thank you," Katara whispered.

* * *

He thought he couldn't possibly get more embarrassed. Then he thought that he should probably stop thinking such things because, really, it was just tempting fate. Especially as he was sitting in a room with Hakoda, Sokka, and a dozen or so more Water Tribe warriors, discussing his betrothal to the Cheif's daughter, when only Hakoda and Sokka knew it wasn't real and only Sokka knew Zuko planned to try and change that. He gritted his teeth and prepared to hurl himself from frying pan to fire.

"So besides the kissing tradition, what else is there?" The gleam in the chief's eyes as well as the expressions on the other mens' faces made him think he probably should have quit while he was ahead.

"Well, there's the betrothal dance, though all you have to do is sit there," Hakoda's right hand man Bato said with a grin.

"Betrothal dance?" he asked. Bato and a few other men nodded.

"It's usually the first performance in a betrothal party. After the announcement is made, everyone gathers and the husband-to-be sits on a backless chair in the center of a large circle while his future wife dances for him." Zuko blinked, envisioning Katara dancing, and swallowed hard. He forced a neutral expression to his face.

"Seems innocent enough," he said quietly – and was immediately deluged with laughter from all directions.

"You've never seen a Water Tribe girl perform a betrothal dance. 'Innocent' isn't usually the word that comes to mind," Bato said with a grin.

"Unless she's doing it wrong," someone from the back called out, answered by another voice.

"This is Katara he's marrying. Do you really think she'd screw up tradition? She's probably known the dances since she was old enough to walk. Hana would have made sure of it." Zuko was slightly confused, turning to Hakoda and Sokka for confirmation. The older man was just shaking his head and grinning, and Sokka looked positively disturbed – then again, Zuko couldn't blame him. He couldn't imagine how weird it must be to be sitting in a room full of men discussing your little sister as a woman and wife. He'd learned very quickly that the Water Tribe had a much more...open...view on physicality and relationships than he would have guessed. He tried not to remember the suggestions he'd been receiving all night on how best to enjoy his future bride. It was...an eye-opening experience thus far, and he was certain it wasn't yet over.

"The betrothal dance is a symbol. It is intended to show the wife's willingness to please her husband and to care for him. This doesn't just include keeping his house, raising his heirs, and making sure he's comfortable, but making sure he is cared for in more carnal ways as well." Hakoda's explanation was gentle, and Zuko was thankful because he knew the other men wouldn't have bothered to be tactful, but still...the thought of what this could possibly entail threatened his already strained composure. He swallowed hard and for a brief moment felt Sokka's hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw that his friend was just as uncomfortable as he was – though he knew it was for very different reasons. He sighed.

"Anything else I should know about?"

"Well, there is the curtain ceremony, but as I'm sure the Fire Nation has its own wedding night customs I doubt that we even need to discuss it." Sokka's voice was sharp, definite, and Zuko was very glad the younger man jumped in to speak before one or another of the tribe members could say anything.

"Aww, you mean they won't be doing the curtain ceremony? That's no fun!" Zuko didn't remember the name of the man that spoke, but his complaint was echoed by several others.

"No, they won't be. Zuko already said that he and Katara had decided on keeping the wedding night traditions of his people, especially since they're incorporating so many of our peoples' customs for the betrothal and the wedding itself." Sokka's voice brooked no argument and Zuko nodded along, agreeing without hesitation because he knew if it was something that his friend was drawing the line at there was likely a _very_ good reason. The crowd grumbled, but it was good-natured, and someone passed the firebender another cup of the mild rice wine he'd discovered they liked so much. It was a specialty of the Fire Nation, very popular for small gatherings because it was barely alcoholic at all. Served warm, it was lightly sweetened, and the Water Tribe members had added their own twist...the salted ice chips tossed on top added a bit of a conflicting taste that was nonetheless quite delicious. Zuko had already decided to have it served at the betrothal reception. Holding the cup, he raised it in acknowledgment of their generosity and took a few swallows. He was glad that it had such a small alcohol content. If the men were this open and...helpful...sober, he shuddered to think of how racy and vulgar their comments would get if they were drunk.

"So, we've agreed on the kiss tradition and the betrothal dance. Fire Lord Zuko has incorporated much of our cuisine into the reception banquet. And he has received the blessing of myself – both as Katara's father and the Tribe Chieftan – and Sokka as Katara's brother. Does anyone have any objections to this betrothal or to the union that shall follow?" Haokda's voice was sure, strong, and Zuko had the odd thought that he could definitely get some pointers on public speaking from the man. He made a note to ask him sometime...when they weren't in a room discussing his and Katara's impending joining. The chief's statement was met with nothing but approval, and he turned to the young lord.

"You have the blessing of the Southern Water Tribe, Lord Zuko. May your betrothal and marriage to my daughter be all that you both wish for and more." The knowing look in the older man's kind blue eyes threw Zuko for a loop and he coughed briefly as a bit of wine went down the wrong way, but he recovered quickly.

"Thank you for your kindness and your support, Chief Hakoda. Your people do me great honor, and I shall strive to be worthy of the precious gift you have entrusted to me."

"I know you will, my son," the other man said simply, standing and offering his hand. Zuko was struck dumb by the acceptance, the trust inherent in those two words. _My son._ He took a deep breath and clasped the other man's hand, only to be drawn into a surprise embrace, the hug of a father to a son. It was then that Zuko truly realized that Hakoda approved...not only of the betrothal, but of anything further that may happen. The wave of emotion that swept through the Fire Lord nearly paralyzed him. His own father had never hugged him, had never voiced pride or happiness for his only male heir. He had never received such a warm embrace from the man that sired him. As the other tribe members came forward one by one to clasp hands or offer congratulatory arm punches, Zuko realized that, in joining himself to Katara, he wouldn't only be gaining the most perfect woman in the world for his mate, but he'd be getting a family as well. It was a foreign concept, but one he found he was more than happy to enjoy. After the farewells, Sokka offered to walk with him back to his quarters as they were on the way to the warrior's own rooms. They were out in the hallway before Sokka spoke.

"Sorry about that. They get a little...well, you know." He looked almost sheepish and Zuko couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yeah, well, I do now." He chuckled, shaking his head. "If someone had told me this morning that by evening I'd be sitting with the Water Tribe drinking salted rice wine and listening to sexual advice on how to handle my future bride, I'd have called them crazy."

"I know, right?" Sokka sighed. "But at least they didn't push for the curtain ceremony."

"I have to admit I'm curious. You were so quick to decline it on my behalf. Now I wonder what it was, if it was enough to make you speak up." Sokka shook his head.

"You don't want to know." The Fire Lord noticed the red that had crept into his companion's cheeks and his curiosity jumped tenfold.

"Actually, you're blushing. I think I really _do_ want to know, now." Sokka sighed in resignation and looked around, making sure they were completely alone. He seemed to not know where or how to start, and he swallowed a few times before beginning to speak.

"Well, wedding night traditions vary in every country..." Zuko nodded, saying nothing. "So yeah, in our culture, we do...well, the curtain ceremony. It's where a large white curtain is hung from poles covering the doorway of the couple's wedding hut."

"Wedding hut?" Sokka nodded.

"It's a structure built specifically for newlywed couples. It's made of stone, which is really rare in the poles, as an indication that happiness is rare and those that find it are among the most blessed of Tui's and La's children. It's perfectly round, to symbolize that they will share everything with their partner, leaving no corners for secrets to hide in. It has one very large doorway and two holes in the roof to let out smoke and bring in fresh air. On the far side across from the doorway is a hearth that a very big fire is kindled in."

"I understand why you wouldn't use ice then." Sokka nodded, obviously nervous about continuing but gathering his composure and soldiering on.

"So, there's this huge fire and then right across from it is the open doorway. Outside the doorway there are tall poles set up, and the white curtain is hung from them, weighted down at the bottom so it covers the entire opening. The couple goes inside the hut, and the curtain is sealed over the entrance. It will be sealed for the entire week – it serves to keep the warmth in as well. Once the hut is sealed, the...well, the couple..." He trailed off, looking around them once more, and Zuko raised an eyebrow. Sokka cleared his throat.

"Well, the couple...they consummate their marriage."

"That tends to happen on a wedding night," Zuko said with a grin. Sokka shook his head frantically.

"Zuko, think about the set up. A fire behind the couple, a curtain in front of them...and the adults from the entire tribe gathered outside. Watching the shadows the fire casts on the curtain. Shadows of the two inside as they..." Zuko knew his mouth had fallen open in shock, and he saw Sokka's relief that he hadn't had to explain any further.

"You've got to be kidding me," Zuko breathed. Sokka sighed and stared at the floor.

"I wish I was." He took a deep breath. "That's not even the worst part. That comes later. During the initial...consummation...everyone outside remains quiet. Once the couple is...finished...then the applause and comments start. It's considered good luck if a couple can...come together...multiple times on the first night, and to that end the things people say are very...inflammatory. Most of them are supposed to come from the couple's immediate family, as a sign of their acceptance of the union and their hopes for the couple to be blessed with many children."

"Dear Agni," Zuko breathed quietly, stunned. Sokka nodded.

"_Now_ you know why I drew the line. I like you, Zuko. You're a good friend, and if you can manage to make Katara happy you'll have my gratitude forever. But I really don't think I could handle watching your shadows as you deflower my baby sister and then have to call out encouragement to your loins in the hopes of urging you to have sex with her again." The shudder that wracked Sokka was matched by the one that passed over Zuko.

"How about we...don't bring this up again. Ever." The Fire Lord felt positively uncomfortable, his words soft but very fervent.

"Hey – you asked," Sokka protested with a whine. Zuko sighed and dropped his head.

"So I did. Remind me to never do that again." With a final shared glance of shared distaste the two set back off down the hallway to their respective rooms and the end of a very uncomfortable night.


	8. Chapter 8

She woke up shortly after sunrise, stretching and yawning. This was the day. She and Zuko would announce themselves as a couple to his people, his nation. She was torn between nervousness and joy, with a smattering of worry and a healthy dose of anticipation. She was also pleased to note that the servants had taken Uncle's suggestion to heart – she hadn't been woken at the break of dawn to someone knocking on the door. With a smile she got out of bed and worked her way through a couple of waterbending forms to stretch out her muscles. After she felt sufficiently awake, she took a quick bath, scrubbing herself until her skin gleamed and her hair shone. The conversation with Toph and Suki was still very fresh in her mind, but she refused to think about it today. She had to be at the top of her game mentally. There were only two short meetings this morning, but they were very important. One was concerning what to do with all of the Fire Nation nobles and citizens that were currently being detained for treason and conspiring to assassinate the Fire Lord...and the other was an official inquiry as to what plans Zuko had for dealing with his father and sister. She had to be clearheaded. He would need her today like he had never needed her before. Her train of thoughts was interrupted by a knock at the door. She shook herself and opened the door to see three serving ladies, the oldest of whom was carrying a large box.

"My Lady, the Fire Lord sends his regards and his hopes that you will accept this insignificant token of his affection." The woman holding the box placed it gently on the bed and Katara burned with curiosity as the wrappings were slowly unwound. After what seemed like forever to the impatient waterbender the last of the ribbons was undone and the top of the box was lifted off to reveal the most beautiful material Katara had ever seen. She'd been anticipating more traditional fire nation colors – after all, she was going to be coming out as the future Fire Lady. This was nothing like what she expected.

"Tui and La," she breathed, running one finger over the silvery-blue material. With her permission the younger two women carefully lifted the item from the box and Katara felt tears come to her eyes. It was the work of a few moments for her to don the dress with the assistance of the competent maids, and when she turned and saw herself in the mirror she did feel a tear or two escape her lashes.

It was a sheath dress, strapless and sleek, the color looking silver in one light and blue when viewed from a different direction. It shimmered and shone in the flickering torchlight. It was perfectly tailored – indeed, she'd never in her life had anything as comfortable. Somehow the simplicity of it made it so much more elegant than any frills or gems could have. The neckline was fairly modest in the front, covering all but the uppermost swells of her breasts, but it dipped down past her ribs in the back. The hemline reached her ankles yet the slits on either side reached daringly halfway up her thighs and laced from there to her waist, which would make walking much easier than it would have been otherwise. The bottom was decorated with thin blue threads, as was the neckline, and she saw with no small amount of shock that the threads matched her mother's pendant to the shade. Also in the box were a pair of graceful heeled sandals in the same shade of blue, delicate looking things with straps that crossed over her feet and lacings that made her legs look amazing once they were fastened, criss-crossing back and forth up her calves. There was a matching set of jewelery – a solid silver chain that was designed to drape low enough that the blue topaz pendant nestled teasingly in the top of her cleavage, a pair of matching ear cuffs with their trailing threads of silver dangling miniature blue topaz gems down nearly to her shoulders, and a silver bracelet unadorned save for the single blue stone in the center of the thin band. There was also a belt in the same style – woven silver threads with blue gems interspersed here and there, the edges of the belt designed to lay along her left leg to her knee. There was a shimmery cloak in the box as well; ankle length and made of the same material as the dress, it was intended to wrap around her completely, the hood flowing enough to cover whatever hairstyle she would be wearing. She was saddened when it came time to take it off and pack it all back into the box, but she'd known that was the deal; after the initial fitting in the morning, no one would see her outfit until she stepped out on the balcony with Zuko – hence the cloak. The women were standing there silently, watching her as she ran her fingers over the dress one final time before allowing them to close the lid.

"Do the garments meet with my lady's approval?" the elder servant asked. Katara nodded, speaking softly.

"Who made this?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Master Court Seamstress Hei Shi, Lady Katara."

"I must offer my thanks to her. She truly is a master of her trade. I could never have imagined such an awe-inspiring design. It is unparalleled."

"Oh, Master Hei Shi didn't design the dress, Lady Katara. She simply made it to the specifications given." It was the youngest of the three women that spoke this time, her statement being met by a nod from the third who seemed almost shy in the presence of the Fire Lord's betrothed. The waterbender looked at the servants, puzzled.

"Then who created the initial design?"

"Fire Lord Zuko, my lady," replied the older one calmly. Katara felt faint. Apparently the servant understood the shock on Katara's face, because while she led the flustered girl to a nearby chair she explained the reasons behind the tradition. "According to our customs, the first gift must be designed by the giver specifically for the recipient. It shows that he or she sees their betrothed as an individual and as someone worthy of the giver's time and attention."

"Fire Lord Zuko obviously holds you in extremely high respect," said the shy servant.

"Indeed he does," said the younger woman with a smile. The three woman stepped backwards, bowing slightly, and the elder spoke once more.

"We shall be back to assist you in preparing for the betrothal ceremony, if it pleases you, Lady Katara."

"Yes...that's fine," she said, her voice a mere whisper as she was still thinking about the fact that Zuko – _her _ Zuko – had taken the time out of what she knew from personal experience was a grueling schedule to design such a gift. She barely noticed the women leave, and didn't see the smiles they shared on the way out the door. Her eyes were resting on the box on her bed and her mind was whirling. After a few moments she shook herself back to the present. She only had a short time to dress and meet him at the council hall for their two meetings, and she wouldn't be late. She didn't want to wait one minute longer than she had to to see him again.

* * *

He watched as she entered the council hall, admiring the way she moved across the floor towards him. As he was already standing it was an easy matter to reach out for her hand as she approached, but what shocked him was the way she all but flew into his arms. Not that he was complaining, not at all. He couldn't get over how perfectly she fit against him, how right it felt to hold her. He was further stunned when she wrapped both arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.

"Good morning to you too, 'Tara," he whispered with a grin, shifting his own arms down to loop around her waist and return the hug she was obviously so very determined to give him. She pulled back and to his shock she could see her eyes glimmering.

"It's beautiful," she murmured. "I've never seen anything so beautiful. Thank you." She sniffled and hugged him once again, and he gazed at her as she slowly released him.

"I'm assuming you mean the betrothal gift." She just nodded, and he felt such pride and warmth that he had been able to bring such happiness to her.

"It's...I could just...oh, Zuko."

"I'm glad you like it," he said with a smile, gently letting his arms loosen as footsteps began to sound outside. To his shock she didn't let go, and as such when the advisors opened the hall doors they found their Fire Lord and his bride-to-be in each others' arms, gazing at one another, obviously very much in love. The senior advisor, Diplomat Ghandri, cleared his throat and offered the two a smile.

"Might I congratulate you on your betrothal, my Lord, my Lady?" His words, respectful though they were, caused the two to look up guiltily and he had to hide a grin. Within the space of a second they were no longer a random couple besotted with one another but had instead fully become the Fire Lord and his partner, the future Fire Lady.

"Thank you, Diplomat Ghandri, for your kindness," Katara offered graciously, and Zuko simply nodded his agreement. "Are we ready to discuss business?"

"Indeed we are, my Lady." With that the mood changed, everyone migrating to their seats. Zuko looked out over the five advisors before him – five men he trusted to be honest and to have the best interests of the nation at heart. He knew he could expect fairness from these men.

"Allow me to get straight to the point," he said calmly. "We have more than three dozen assorted citizens in prison for treason, espionage, conspiring against the crown, and attempted assassination. Would these figures be correct?"

"Yes, Fire Lord Zuko."

"We are using resources to care for and house forty-plus men and women who mean nothing but harm to either myself or our nation."

"Yes, my Lord."

"I understand you have come up with several proposals concerning these people."

"We have, my Lord."

"Very well. Let's hear them."

The first idea was execution, but even Ghandri said that was the least feasible. No ruler should ever begin their reign with a bloodbath. The assassins were to be put to death, as that law had never been changed and Zuko saw no reason to alter it now. It was an acceptable answer as well, and that decision sat well with everyone present. That left the rest of the prisoners' fates in question, however. The second idea was to attempt rehabilitation. That, Zuko pointed out, would be the most socially acceptable idea but it would also be the largest drain on Fire Nation resources with the lowest guarantee of success. The other ideas were met with varying degrees of acceptance as well. For example, public humiliation was a tactic Sozin had been fond of in his day, and as such Zuko was understandably hesitant to employ it in his own rule. After almost an hour of debating points and concepts, there had been no definite decision made. It was at that point that Zuko looked at the woman at his side and saw the thoughtful look on her face. He knew that look.

"Katara," he said, garnering her undivided attention. "Do you have an idea?"

"Well, I might. I mean, I sort of do." She cleared her throat and addressed everyone at the table. "We are discussing the fate of a group of people who have proven by word and deed that they are not friends to the Fire Nation."

"Well, they've proven that they don't agree with Lord Zuko's decisions and rule," one of the junior advisors said hesitantly. She looked at the younger man, speaking with a steel gravity to her voice Zuko had rarely heard before.

"Fire Lord Zuko _is_ the Fire Nation. To denounce his rule is to place oneself against the Fire Nation as a whole." Zuko heard soft murmurs but no one was openly disputing her, and her voice was steady. "So basically we have cells full of people that, if given the chance, would likely attempt to undermine and destroy the Fire Nation as it stands now."

"You could say that," the man hedged.

"I am saying that." She took a deep breath and cast her eyes around the table once more. "Gentlemen, every new regime has its stumbling points. Nothing will be universally accepted. No one person or idea can please everyone. But there is a line between disagreeing, even vehemently, and inciting open rebellion. If we allow these men and women to rejoin the Fire Nation in any social capacity we risk that they will collaborate and attempt further harm.

"What we need is to make the entire world aware of the fact that these people are no longer trusted members of our nation. They have committed grievous offense against Fire Lord Zuko, against the people – and as such, against the rest of the world." She saw that Ghandri understood where she was going, but that some of his junior councilors were foggy on the meaning behind her statements. Another one of them spoke up.

"But they haven't done anything to any other nation. They've limited their offenses to this one." He was almost quiet in his speech, but Katara fastened her eyes on him and shook her head.

"How long ago was it that the entire world was torn apart by war and suffering? How long was it that the Fire Nation was viewed with fear, with distrust, with open, vicious hatred? Not very far in the past at all, sir. By saying that these people have harmed no one but the Fire Nation, you are downplaying their crimes to a large degree. If they were to have succeeded in their goals, is there any doubt that the Fire Nation would have fallen – that upon Lord Zuko's death or incapacitation they would have put someone on the throne who shared their views? Perhaps even Ozai himself – a man who is no less dangerous now even though he's unable to bend fire anymore. What do you think such a thing would do to the rest of the world?" Her voice had turned cold. "How long do you think it would take before everyone's lives were driven by war once more? How many more people would die? How many more children orphaned, spouses widowed – how much more blood would run if these prisoners' goals were realized?" Zuko saw that they had severely underestimated the danger the people they held were capable of causing, and he felt a rush of pure admiration for Katara, for her ability to expand their minds and their thinking.

"Lady Katara," Ghandri interjected as his advisors looked at each other in dawning horror. "Am I to assume you have an idea of how to deal with these insurgents?"

"I do," she said calmly.

"May we ask what it is?"

"Absolutely." Her entire demeanor was firm, yet not harsh, and Zuko could see how they gravitated towards her every word. "I propose we give the prisoners a choice."

"A choice, my Lady?"

"Yes. A choice – between lifetime incarceration at Boiling Rock prison, which has more than enough room to house them all since we've released those wrongly jailed by Ozai during his reign, or a lifetime of servitude to the Fire Nation and as such to anyone we choose to hire them out to." There was dead silence at the table for the span of a few breaths before the senior advisor spoke up.

"Are you suggesting we give them a choice between imprisonment or slavery?" he asked quietly. She grinned, a predator's grin, and Zuko had to struggle against the smile that struggled to come forth.

"That is exactly what I propose, Diplomat Ghandri. To my mind, these people are lower than scum. They have threatened my land, my people, the world as we are trying to make it now, and most importantly the man that I love. I think I am being more than fair. If they choose to not work, I am certain accommodations can be made for them at Boiling Rock. If they wish to avoid prison, however, I see no problem with instituting a policy of lifelong servitude for those who betray their nation.

"Gentlemen, we have recently entered into a very specific agreement with the Earth Kingdom, an extraordinarily profitable trade venture. As one of the terms of the agreement we are volunteering some of our people to go to the coastal regions that have been so badly damaged by the storms of the last few years, as well as those hit worst by the war. We are helping our Earth Kingdom neighbors rebuild. And we are getting quite a nice deal in return. I know that most of our prisoners have never had to work with their hands a day in their lives, but rebuilding and replanting are skills easily learned. In groups of no more than five with a competent and trustworthy foreman, and with full knowledge of their crimes published to every nation, we would be able to turn these backstabbing bastards into a force for good regardless of their wishes. And should they try to run or to fight back, prison will be their only destination. With their names and descriptions plastered all over the three nations they would have nowhere to run to, at any rate. I can guarantee you that our Earth and Water associates would not look kindly on warmongering fugitives. Agreeing to the terms we set forth will be the only way to even slightly guarantee their own survival."

The room was completely silent. Zuko was watching her with pride in his eyes, a satisfaction that he didn't bother to hide. This woman, this beautiful, strong warrior of a woman was everything that his people needed. That he needed. The looks of the advisors ranged through varying degrees of awe and respect. Zuko could already tell that the decision Katara had set forth would be upheld unanimously by every man present. Finally Diplomat Ghandri spoke.

"I believe I speak for us all when I say that Agni has blessed us indeed with your presence. If there is anything now or in the future that we can do for you, Lady Katara, you need but ask. On your shoulders will the Fire Nation grow strong and in peace with our international kindred. Your wisdom is truly inspiring."

"Thank you, Diplomat," she demurred softly. The older man smiled slightly and nodded.

"And if I might speak freely..?" he asked politely. Katara motioned for him to go ahead. "I was among those privileged enough to watch the sparring between the two of you, my Lord, my Lady. And I can honestly say that, having seen that you are as strong in matters of diplomacy as you are while commanding your element...I am very glad that you are on our side." Zuko didn't bother to hide the satisfied smile he was wearing – that was _his_ Katara that was being so generously praised, after all. His Katara, who still wasn't used to compliments and thus was blushing slightly more vividly than was typical of a member of the royal family. He could see that her obvious shyness delighted the delegates as well.

"Thank you, Diplomat Ghandri. I just like to make sure those I care for are safe and happy," she said quietly, not meeting anyone's eyes. Zuko decided to have pity on her, especially considering they had one more meeting yet to get through. He rose to his feet, Katara and the men following suit. It was a small matter of formalities and then the group was leaving, Ghandri having assured them both that everything would be set forth as Katara had proposed. Finally they were alone again for a moment, and when she turned to him he couldn't resist the urge to brush his fingers over her cheek.

"I stand by my offer to let you reign in my place," he said with a chuckle. Her voice was playful.

"Nope. Not a chance." The teasing mood disappeared fairly quickly, though, and she stepped even closer to him, laying on hand on his arm. "Zuko, this next meeting...I know this is going to be hard for you. I just want you to know...I'll support any choice you make. And that I'm here for you, always." Her eyes were full of affection, comfort, and the understanding in them nearly brought tears to his eyes. Instead he simply pulled her into a hug, one she returned gladly as though she knew he just needed to hold and be held.

"My father...Azula...I wish I could be as cold as he would be in the same situation..." She reached up and grasped his face in her hands, making him look at her and the fiercely protective expression she wore.

"Never wish to be like him, for any reason. Harshness and pain are not marks of justice, only vengeance. You are a strong man, Zuko. A wonderful Fire Lord, a compassionate leader...and an amazing person. Don't ever feel you need to become anything but what you are." Those blue eyes so close to his own...it would be so easy to kiss her now, to forget that there was anything else to deal with, to lose himself in her warmth and her smooth skin and her body firm against his, just to let the entire world go by and drown himself in her. He took a deep breath, held it...and let it out in something almost like relief and almost like anger when the expected knock came on the door. She clutched him close for a brief moment longer and then moved back to her seat, ready to be whatever he needed. In a voice harsher than he'd intended he bid the advisors enter, and steeled himself to do what he must.

The meeting went smoothly at first. The prison warden, a man named Jeou, and the official physician that had been assigned to Azula, Doctor Tamboor, were trustworthy and polite without being stuffy. Katara found them to be a bit refreshing after the past few days of dealing with men far too aware of their own stations for humility. The warden spoke first, giving his update on the former Fire Lord. Ozai was still held in his solitary cell, permitted no visitors and guarded every second of the day by the most trusted soldiers in the nation. He had caused no problems and made no demands. In fact, there was only one thing that Warden Jeou could say was unusual.

"He smiles, my Lord Zuko."

"Smiles?" Zuko repeated, puzzled. The warden nodded.

"He doesn't speak to anyone, has said not a word since his outburst right after his imprisonment. But he smiles. It's...not a nice smile, my Lord. It reminds me of the look he would get when he was planning something." Zuko knew that look well. His father had worn it the day he'd informed his thirteen-year-old son that he was to participate in an Agni Kai. Katara must have seen his shudder as he felt her hand come to rest over his own, threading their fingers together, in full view of the other occupants of the room.

"And he has said nothing?"

"Nothing, Lord Zuko." There was silence at the table, and Zuko let his mind race. In the end, though, for all of his many thoughts, there wasn't really anything he could say.

"Let us leave him as he is for now. I will deal with him more fully once I have completed some of my other business. And keep me informed if _anything_ changes."

"As you wish, my Lord." The warden bowed his head in obedience.

"And what of my sister?" This was going to be the hardest part of the discussion yet, and he was grateful beyond measure for the feel of Katara's fingers between his own. This time it was the doctor that took up the report.

"Lady Azula is...well, her mind is slipping further, my Lord. I am sorry to report that most days she's not sure who anyone is or even where she is. She's taken to having conversations with empty air, and waking up at all hours screaming in terror. But none of us can get close to her cell unless she is asleep, because as soon as she sees another person she begins to spit fire. Were her hands and feet not bound, I've no doubt she could be even more dangerous, to herself and to others." Zuko sighed, his expression sorrowful, and Katara took it upon herself to speak for them, allowing him a few moments to himself.

"In your opinion, would there be any chance of perhaps working with her, any way to maybe help her gain some stability?" The man looked almost as dejected as Zuko when he responded.

"I've no doubt it could be done, my Lady, but it would take months, perhaps years. On her rare good days she is calm, even pleasant, but it doesn't last long. I've often wondered if perhaps keeping her isolated is making things worse, but as she is still dangerous I've been hesitant to try and introduce her to any others." He looked quite apologetic. Katara thought deeply for a moment before responding.

"In my home in the Southern Water Tribe, there is a tea made from local plants that we use to help calm those who have been overly stressed or upset. I wonder if there is anything similar in either the Fire Nation or the Earth Kingdom?" Her words came out almost as though she was musing to herself, but the doctor understood that it was a valid question. He thought for a moment.

"I believe at one point there was one such substance, but it fell out of use generations ago. If I recall correctly, it was banned because it could have adverse effects."

"Such as?" she asked directly. Tamboor thought for a moment, his manner uncertain when he did respond.

"I believe there were rumors of it blocking or inhibiting a person's ability to bend," he said, understanding dawning as he looked at the blue-eyed woman sitting across from him. Zuko's head snapped up, having caught the conversation.

"Is it possible?" he asked, his voice hoarse. He was almost afraid to hope. The doctor shrugged.

"As I said, my Lord, it has been generations since this substance has even been spoken of. I can't answer with any certainty. I most humbly apologize." Before Zuko could say anything Katara spoke up again, this time addressing him directly.

"Zuko, do you think Uncle might know? He's the resident expert on all things tea-related."

"He may. I'll be sure to ask him." He had the thought to call Iroh to the council hall immediately, but the fingers in his own squeezed and he looked back up to her. Her gaze softened as she took in his anguish, and her eyes pleaded with him to trust her to make the decision for him. Knowing his mental state concerning his sister wasn't always the most stable, he took a deep breath and nodded. She turned back to the men at the table.

"As today is the betrothal ceremony and we cannot postpone it, nor do I want to -" she said with a soft smile for the man beside her, "- I would suggest we leave Azula where she is for now. Tomorrow, once business resumes as normal, I will personally begin searching for leads on these ingredients. In the meantime," she said, turning to the shaky Fire Lord, "I believe it might be a good idea to extend an invitation for Ty Lee to come and stay at the palace." Zuko looked at her in confusion, and Katara smiled gently. "If we're going to try to bring your sister back, it might do her good to see a familiar face...and if nothing else, Ty Lee can chi block the Fire Princess if needed." Zuko blinked, as impressed by Katara's foresight as he was disappointed that he hadn't thought of the idea himself. Following her line of reasoning, he felt hope for the first time, hope that maybe he could help Azula. Crazy, psychopathic, and vicious she may be, she was still his sister.

"Very good, my Lady," the doctor said with a short bow from his seat. "It shall be done as you say." Katara nodded her thanks.

"As I make my inquiries, I ask that you keep us updated on her status. A quick note daily would suffice. What times of day she seems more prone to violence, if there is anything that particularly seems to trigger her temper, that type of thing. Zuko?"

"Yes?"

"Are there any shielded areas in the prison or the palace grounds itself? Any place where one might have put recalcitrant benders or dangerous ones, someplace that is designed to be resistant to fire and difficult to get to?" He thought for a moment, shaking his head.

"Not that I am aware of – though it does seem like something that would be useful." The warden cleared his throat, and the two benders looked at him, bidding him speak.

"My Lord, My Lady, if I may...I remember during my father's time as warden he mentioned that his father had been in charge of guarding the lower palace dungeons. He spoke of one they called the Traitor's Cage." Zuko's eyes widened.

"I'd completely forgotten about that! It would be perfect!" Katara looked questioningly between the two men, and Zuko explained.

"In Sozin's time it wasn't unusual for anyone disagreeing with him to be branded a traitor. In the early years of his rule, when he was still establishing himself, he didn't have enough of a following to simply execute them, so he sentenced most of them to imprisonment. There was one cell that was built specifically to house any powerful benders that he deemed enemies of the state – hence the name Traitor's Cell. Completely fireproof and nigh impenetrable." Katara nodded decisively.

"Warden Jeou, would it be possible for you to spare some time tomorrow to seek out this Traitor's Cell and see what condition it is in?" He nodded immediately.

"It would be my honor, Lady Katara," he said humbly.

"If or when you find it, have someone notify me immediately. If we are going to try to bring Azula back to any semblance of sanity, the sooner we can start the better, and she'll be much more easily dealt with in a location where she cannot simply set everything on fire, especially if my search for the mood-leveling ingredients are in vain." She felt Zuko's hand quivering in her own and decided it was time to wrap up the meeting before he lost his composure completely. Standing and discreetly urging him to his feet as well, she smiled at the warden and the doctor.

"Thank you for your cooperation in this endeavor. Regardless of our success, know that we are indebted to you for your service and your discretion." The warning and the compliment were both easily understood by the two men before her and they bowed low.

"It is a privilege and an honor to serve the Crown, my Lord, my Lady." Doctor Tamboor's sincerity was blatant as was that of the warden.

"Rest assured, we will see to it that your wishes are carried out," Jeou said firmly.

"We know you will," Zuko said, his voice steady. "Now – today is a holiday...or rather it will be in a few hours. Enjoy the celebrations and the respite. We shall speak in the next few days." The slightly informal dismissal nonetheless did the trick, and soon the room was once more empty save for the shaken Fire Lord and his lady. Zuko turned to her, knowing his every emotion was visible in his eyes.

"I...I don't know how to thank you," he murmured, reaching out to take her other hand as well. She just shrugged, a small smile lifting the corners of her lips.

"You don't have to. I was just thinking how I would feel if anything like this happened to Sokka. I would do anything to get my sibling back – and I can't imagine doing less for yours. Even if she has tried to kill me more often than you have." The last of her sentence came out in a huff as he yanked her against him, wrapping his arms around her and clutching her tight. She relaxed in his arms and hugged him back.

"You are amazing," he murmured into her hair, shaking with the force of the emotions that were still coursing through him. She shook her head against his chest.

"You're amazing. I'm just doing my best to keep up." He chuckled and she grinned and they enjoyed a brief moment of stillness in the comfort of each others' arms.


	9. Chapter 9

Back in her room, Katara swallowed hard for the hundredth time as she waited for the women to show up to help her get ready for the betrothal announcement. The lure of simply opening the box and slipping back into that heavenly dress was almost too much for her to bear, but she knew that if she did it herself it could be considered a slight on the palace staff, and as she was supposedly going to become their new ruler she didn't want to start disrespecting the employees now. To her relief a sharp rap sounded at the door, and she knew her happiness was audible as she bid them enter. From that point on it was a whirl of activity...bathing, dressing, having her hair arranged just so and her makeup applied with the lightest of touches – the elder woman was more than happy to acquiesce to Katara's wishes for few cosmetics. "With beauty like yours, there's no need to paint yourself up like the useless nobility," the old woman declared amicably. Katara stifled a chuckle at that, but the warm feeling she got from being considered not useless, however obliquely, gave her the strength she needed to endure the primping and posing. Finally, after what seemed like an age had passed, the three maids deemed her ready and allowed her to gaze at herself in the full-length mirror to see the finished product. Her breath caught in her throat. She looked like...well, like royalty. Like she belonged here, with this man, at his side. She only hoped Zuko would be as impressed by her appearance. She suffered the long cloak to be settled over her shoulders and wrapped around her fully, the hood pulled up to cover her hair and dip down in front of her face just far enough to not impede her sight. With the blessings of all three women in her ears, she stepped out of her rooms and walked regally behind Cazin and Baru as they escorted her to the far courtyard, to the balcony and the man and the future that awaited her if she had but the courage to reach out and grasp it.

* * *

He was nervous. And when he was nervous, he paced. A few feet away, near the curtain that separated the room from the balcony, his uncle stood ready to step out and begin the announcement. They were just waiting for the sound of the gong, the signal that the time was right.

"Zuko, relax," Iroh said gently, walking over to put his hand on the younger man's shoulder. Zuko did stop pacing, but it still felt like his heart was trying to tap dance its way into his throat. "You're ready for this. Katara is ready for this. Everything will be fine." The Fire Lord – feeling decidedly un-lordly and more like a scared teen at his first court dance – just sighed.

"I just...I want this to be perfect. For her. She's doing all this because I asked her to. I want her to be happy."

"As long as you are on that balcony when she steps out, she _will_ be happy." He smiled warmly at the boy he considered his own son, regardless of their blood relation. "I am very proud of you, Zuko. You are a wonderful man, a strong yet generous ruler – and you will make an excellent husband." Zuko looked up at the older man, eyes wide and mouth open.

"I...I never said...I mean, I..." Just then the gong sounded, and Iroh chuckled.

"You didn't have to." He gave Zuko a crushing hug that the young man returned with equal force, then stepped back. "Now it's time for me to go announce you, so you can go introduce your people to their future Fire Lady." A final hand clasp and Iroh turned and exited through the curtain. Zuko took a deep breath, then another. He could do this. He would do this. For Katara. As much as he wanted to look around for her, he knew it would be in vain. Even if she were in the room, he would never be allowed to see her until she joined him on the balcony. He stepped closer to the curtain so he could hear more clearly what his uncle was saying.

"My people. My country. My home. Today is a day of grand tidings, of happiness and joy and celebration, not only for myself and my family, but for all of us. I am pleased to present a young man who has triumphed over hardship, who has grown from a driven and determined child to a strong and capable man. He has helped to end the tyranny and control we and the rest of the world have endured for so very long. He is not perfect, but he is perfectly devoted to his country, to making it into the grand and glorious nation it has every potential to become.

"Once known as Prince Zuko, burned and banished by his own father for daring to challenge the views of casualties and war, my nephew has, as many of us have, walked a long road and a hard one. From his attempts to capture the Avatar, to joining with him and his band of friends, Zuko has had many a difficult choice. Every step of his path has been fraught with danger, with strife, with conflict, and it is this that has helped mold him into the man he is today, the man who believes so strongly in the Fire Nation and in all of us, the man that believes we have more to offer not only the world but each other than violence and pain. I present to you my nephew, my most beloved family member, Fire Lord Zuko."

The applause as Zuko stepped out, blinking away the tears lest they trickle down his face, was deafening. His steps were shaky, though he kept his expression calm. He stepped up to the banister, embracing his uncle fondly before turning his attention to the crowds of people below – the people who were cheering. For him. Never before had he felt so humbled. He had to clear his throat several times to dissipate the lump in it enough that he could speak.

"I...thank you. Thank you, everyone. I know this has been a hard time, years of hard times. I know many of you have lost things and people that you love, that there has been fear and strife for so long that even the hope of peace seems a dream we are almost scared to believe in." He took a deep breath, swallowing hard. "I can't vow that everything will work out perfectly. I can't give you the assurance that all of our scars and our hurt will disappear overnight. But what I can say is that I will not stop working for that peace we all want so desperately. I can promise that I will do everything in my power to help, to heal, and to try to atone for the sins my forebears have visited not only on our people, but on all of the people across the world." The cheering and ruckus had died down as he began speaking, and it was with shock that he saw that the gathered people below were listening to him, actually paying attention to his words. The wave of pride and love he felt for his country raced through him as he continued, forgoing the speech he had practiced so fervently and instead speaking from the heart, knowing that nothing he could have pre-written was good enough to say what he wanted to say.

"This new path - it will not be easy, but I know we can do it if we can believe in ourselves and in each other. I have every faith that we can rebuild this great country. We can become the grand nation we are meant to be – and we can do it without harming the other great nations out there. For generations we have all been drenched in the propaganda designed to convince us that the Fire Nation was the supreme race. It was that egotism that led to the eradication of the Air Nomads. It was that blindness that nearly wiped out the Southern Water Tribe. That very quality is what has caused our people to be feared by every other group in the world. And it has harmed us as much as it has them. Which is why I have an announcement to make today." Looking out over the sea of faces beneath him, he could pick out his friends, his future family, and seeing their smiles and their support gave him the boost of strength he needed to continue.

"Today I wish to introduce you all to a very special woman. She is a wonderful fighter, an amazing healer. She is one of the people instrumental in helping to bring down the former Fire Lord Ozai. She is the strongest Waterbending master I have ever met.

"Whenever I decided that my life path wasn't about hindering the Avatar, but helping him, I was lost. Everything I'd thought was true about my life, about who I'd been brought up to believe I was, everything was shattered. I tracked down Avatar Aang and his group, and I begged them to allow me to teach him firebending. Eventually they agreed, though they all viewed me with hesitance – and I can't blame them. It was a hard road earning their trust, and most of the time I still feel I don't deserve it. I especially feel unworthy of the trust and regard I have somehow become blessed enough to receive from Lady Katara.

"When I think about strength of character, when I consider generosity, or protectiveness, she is the one I look to as my role model. Her compassion knows no bounds, her capacity for love and forgiveness is unmatched. I know this personally, as she forgave me for the sins I have committed against not only the group as a whole, but against the betrayal I gave her. She, who had reached out in friendship, who saw past the brash prince to the confused boy beneath – she offered the gift of her trust and I am sad to say that I turned my back on it. And yet she forgave me – though she didn't make it easy for me to earn that," he said with a chuckle.

"I know we as a nation have a long way to go. When contemplating the future of the Fire Nation, I had to also consider who would be most suited to rule beside me. She would have to be someone I could trust to have the best interests of my people at heart, someone who would not be afraid to challenge and to fight for what she believed in. Lady Katara is that woman. She is my best friend, my closest confidante – and she has made me the happiest man alive by accepting my offer of betrothal. My people, I give you Master Katara, of the Southern Water Tribe, one of the most incredible people I have ever known, and your future Fire Lady." The applause to this announcement trumped anything heard before. He could feel the vibrations under his feet as he turned and held out his hand. He was pleased to see that the material he'd chosen was as beautiful as he'd imagined it would be, watching the cloak flow and flutter as she stepped forward and pressed her hand into his. He drew her to the banister beside him and with shaking hands reached up to push the hood back. Her blue eyes shone with happiness, with trust, with affection, and as the hood fell back entirely he caught the gleam of the morning sunlight on the chocolate waves of her hair, in the brightness of her smile, the slight flush to her cheeks.

"That was beautiful, Zuko," she murmured. He drew her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, and if anyone thought it was for show it didn't matter because when he looked into her eyes he forgot about the multitudes of people beneath them.

"Did you want to say anything, or should we continue?" She tilted her head slightly.

"I do have something to say, if I may," she whispered. He took a step back and bowed, allowing her to step up to the central portion of the banister. But when she started talking even he fell silent, staring.

"As a child I was raised on stories of the evils of the Fire Nation." There was dead silence in the courtyard. "My mother was killed in an attack by the Southern Raiders. My town was nearly destroyed, my people decimated. When I found the Avatar, I saw it as a chance to help right the wrongs caused by the Fire Nation. But in my travels, I learned. I learned that the nation wasn't to blame. I learned that the choices made that destroyed my home and so many others weren't the work of the citizens of the Fire Nation, but by select few men in power.

"Prince Zuko was the first such powerful man I met, and to me he was the embodiment of everything I hated, everything I feared. And then, through some stroke of fate or luck or whatever, we ended of trapped in the crystal caves of Ba Sing Se together, and I realized he was no more evil than I was. He was a boy that had been taught a path, that walked that path as he had been raised. He was no great evil monster, no demon sent to destroy everything precious. He was simply someone who was hurting, someone who was as much a victim of his father's and grandfather's reigns as I.

"We didn't have an easy road. It took me a long time to trust him. So many years of ingrained hatred are a hard thing to break...for any person. I was no exception. But," she turned to face Zuko, speaking now to him though her voice carried. "I am so glad that I finally gave you a chance. I don't want to think how empty my life would be without you. And as much as you have promised your people to stand and work beside them to rebuild this wonderful nation, I make a promise to you. I will be by your side. I will fight alongside you. Your people are my people, your battles are my battles. I don't know what I have done to deserve such friendship from you, but rest assured I will spend my life trying to be worthy of it."

"Katara...you are already worthy of it. It's me who is not worthy of yours." And though there was no set signal, no official announcement, they both knew it was time. His fingers were trembling as he reached up to the catch at her neck and opened it, the cloak slipping to the floor in a slump of shimmering material. Zuko got his first look at the woman he loved in the gift he had designed, and it took his breath away.

"Agni, you're beautiful," he breathed, eyes wide with shock. She blushed but held his gaze. It took a discreet motion from Iroh to cause the head Fire Sage to step forward because Zuko was so focused on the vision before him that he had completely forgotten the ceremony, the people, and everything else. The sudden presence of the Fire Sage snapped him out of his stupor long enough to grasp both of her hands in his own and as one they turned to face slightly outward, clasped hands resting on the banister. His eyes never left hers. He was never able to remember what the Fire Sage said, hardly registered the feel of the silk strips draping over and around their hands as a symbol of their joining. He barely paid attention when the Sage finished speaking, taking the ribbons from their hands and wrapping one around each of their left wrists, tying them securely so that they would stay in place for the remainder of the week. The next words he heard, however, he would remember always. In a low whisper meant only for him, Katara spoke nervously.

"Zuko...aren't you supposed to kiss me now?"

* * *

He knew he'd messed up, but he'd thought – well, she'd found him, taught him, helped him, and he cared for her. Weren't they supposed to be together? Isn't that how it worked? He figured she would have had enough time by now to cool down and realize she'd overreacted, and then they could start making plans for their wedding and everything would go back to normal. Thinking happy thoughts of a future with Katara, traveling the world and doing what they could for the people of every nation, he smiled to himself. As he flew through the air to the stable yard, he noticed an enormous gathering in one of the courtyards and was immediately curious. It seemed that there was a lot of cheering and happiness emanating from the crowd. After landing and tucking Appa into his stall, making sure he was fed and comfortable, Aang snapped open his glider and took to the air, making his way to the courtyard. From his position in the air, he could make out his friends near the front of the press of people and dove down, landing lightly beside Sokka.

"What's going on?" he said cheerfully, but apparently no one had noticed him arriving because the shock in the eyes of everyone – Sokka, Suki, Toph, Hakoda – as their heads snapped in his direction was almost comical. "What? What did I miss?"

"I...you..." Sokka began, but then his words were drowned out by the uproar from the crowd that surrounded them. Almost as one his friends turned back to the balcony and the people on it. Following their gazes, Aang took in the scene before him and gasped out loud, falling to his knees without even noticing it.

* * *

From her place in the curtain's shadows she watched him as he addressed his people. Never before had he seemed so earnest, yet so powerful. The red and gold ceremonial robes set off his pale skin and dark hair, and his bearing was such that she could see, truly see, a Lord of Fire before her, as intense as the element he controlled, firm and grand and the sight took her breath away. And then he turned and held out his hand to her, and the look in his eyes – the burning gold that focused only on her – was enough to make her knees weak. When had this happened? When had she first begun to see him not only as her best friend, but as her partner, her other half – her love? Was it after the betrothal idea? _No_, Katara admitted to herself as she walked forward, her hand finding its place within his own like coming home. _I've loved Zuko for a while. I could just never admit it. But I'm done hiding._ With that thought she joined him, gazing into the eyes she was so mesmerized by, making her mind up then and there that she would do everything in her power to make this real. He asked if she wanted to speak, and she knew exactly what she had to say.

His fingers were quivering as he unhooked the cloak from her neck, letting it sweep to the floor, unneeded and unimportant, and she could have moaned aloud at the awestruck expression he wore as he took in the sight of her in the creation he'd designed. She would never be able to remember what the Fire Sage said, how the ceremony went, what blessings had been invoked, but she recalled the ribbon being bound around her wrist, the matching one on his, and the words slipped from her lips before she could have even thought to corral them – even if she wanted to. Which she didn't. She watched as shock and desire fought themselves for dominance in his countenance, and then all she could do was hold her breath as his gaze burned into hers. His hands came up to rest under her jaw, sliding around until his long fingers cupped the back of her head, tilting it just so, and then his lips touched hers for the first time and she was lost.

Heat. He was so warm, so gentle; she could feel his body trembling to match her own as her hands came up to slide against his solid chest, higher, until they wrapped around his neck. It wasn't a long kiss – but then, some of the most incredible events in history have taken mere seconds. So it was for her. Nothing in her life, no happiness, no success, no shining moment of glory – nothing she had ever experienced came close to the overwhelming feelings this one kiss was evoking. As they pulled apart, his hands still cradling her head, hers around his neck, there was no hiding the wonder she felt, wonder that was mirrored in his golden gaze. Breathing hard, he lowered his forehead to touch hers and for a long while they stood there gazing into each others' eyes.

"Katara," he whispered, her name a prayer, a plea, a gasp on his lips, lips she already missed desperately.

"Zuko," she echoed, feeling him shiver as her lips caressed his name. Slowly the outside world began to filter back in and for a moment she absolutely detested it for intruding on the time they were sharing.

"Katara, I..." he began only to be interrupted as a firm hand came to rest on each of their shoulders, Iroh's chuckle snapping them back to the present as nothing else could have. Suddenly Katara was completely aware of the crowds beneath, of the fact that she was still embracing Zuko, and the realization of their audience made her flush deeply. Uncle's gentle urging had them turning to face outward, their hands dropping to join on the banister once more, and the sight shocked her. There was cheering, that she'd heard. But she hadn't expected the sheer volume of the cries, the absolute joy she saw reflected in so many faces. Far from being politely happy, the Fire Nation was truly ecstatic. She was awed by the depths of their rejoicing. Searching the crowd, unable to keep the smile from her face, she found her father, brother, Suki, Toph...and then she gasped and her hands tightened in Zuko's as his clamped down on hers.

Even from this distance, the amount of pain radiating from the kneeling Avatar, the reproach and hurt in his eyes could be felt by both of them.

"Oh, Aang," she whispered.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: Hi, y'all. Just to let you know, updates might be a little spotty. The hubby and I are seriously gearing up for Phoenix Comic Con now. For him, that means picking up the book from the printers, finishing his art prints, and doing miscellaneous little things. For me, this means crocheting little plush critters until my fingers fall off. And as I haven't been able to figure out how to crochet and write simultaneously, that means my writing is going to be limited to what I can get done in between plushieness. But I'll do my damnedest to not have too long a gap between chapters. :)

* * *

"How could she? I thought...we...she can't..." His thoughts were full of betrayal and pain and his words were halting and harsh. He stood up and snapped open his glider, knowing nothing more than the need to be out of this place, away from the cheering and the celebrating and the sight of Katara looking so damn beautiful in Zuko's arms, but before he could even gather himself to take off a rough, strong hand latched onto the front of his tunic.

"You run away now, Twinkletoes, you can kiss any chance at friendship with her goodbye." The earthbender's grip was immovable as the rock she commanded, and her glare was for once settled directly on him. He gulped. Without looking away from him, she spoke to the others.

"Twinkles and I are going to go have a little chat. We'll catch up with you at the reception." Without giving him a chance to respond, to say or do anything, she turned and dragged him stumbling through the immense crowd, her hand still firmly latched onto his shirt. And though he knew he could get away, he was too hurt and heartsick to put up much of a fight. She was leading him from the celebratory crowds and the sight of the two on the balcony. For now, that was enough for him to follow her anywhere, because anywhere had to be better than here.

* * *

After they'd stepped off the balcony, back into the room behind the curtain, leaving Iroh to complete the final announcement and the declaration of holiday, Katara's shoulders dropped and her eyes closed in sadness.

"Zuko, I...he's got to be so upset right now." The firebender led her to a comfortable couch and sat beside her, taking her hand in his own.

"I know, 'Tara, I know."

"He didn't deserve this. Not from me. I should have waited, should have tried to find time to talk to him." She wouldn't look up, so he placed his fingers under her chin and urged her eyes to his. In that golden gaze she saw remorse, sadness...and determination.

"He was going to find out eventually. I admit, this was probably not the most ideal way for that to happen, but it did. Now we just have to figure out where to go from here." He took a deep breath, grasping both of her hands with his. "Katara, I know this might not be the best time, but I -"

"Well that was interesting, wasn't it?" Iroh's voice cut in. Zuko turned to glare at his uncle and was met with a look so blatantly innocent that he knew the old man had deliberately timed his statement to cut off what his nephew had been about to say.

"Uncle," he growled, but the Dragon of the West was unrepentant.

"I believe it's time now to adjourn to the reception hall. Your official presentation as a couple will be taking place in thirty minutes, and then the reception begins. There will be plenty of time later to talk about whatever you wish." Iroh's voice was firm but caring. Zuko sighed. With a smooth motion he rose from the couch, holding out his hand.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Uncle's right. We have things we have to do."

"I understand," Katara replied softly, standing and threading her arm into his. Without another word the three left the balcony room and began making their way to the reception hall.

* * *

The tiny courtyard was quiet, private. It wasn't unusual for there to be no guests in the small grassy area with its one bench and single tree, but Aang didn't even see any servants.

"They're all at the reception," Toph answered when he asked. As though he needed another reminder of his loss. He slumped onto the bench in a huff.

"Why, Toph?" he asked, indignant. "Zuko could have anyone in the world practically. Why did he have to take Katara from me?"

"He didn't take her from you," the earthbender said with more gentleness than was her wont.

"Yes he did! Katara was mine first!"

"Quit talking about her like she's a damned possession!" Toph exploded. "She's not yours! She never was! Sugar Queen does now and always has belonged entirely to herself. And if you're too pigheaded to see that, then maybe you didn't deserve her heart to begin with!" Aang just stared, unused to the anger that was radiating from the usually sarcastic girl. He felt he had to say something, anything.

"But...I've loved her since the day she found me." His voice was quieter than he'd intended, but all of the emotions running through him combined to make him feel wearier than he had in a long time, maybe ever. Toph sighed in response.

"Twinkles, you may know her enough to love her, but Zuko...he loves her enough to know her."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, pouting. With an exasperated huff the earthbender dropped to the ground.

"In all the time you've spent with Katara, you've tried to talk her around to your way of thinking. Because you're the Avatar, because you advocate peace, whatever. Remember when she took off with Zuko's help to track down her mother's murderer? You spent days upset because she wouldn't listen to you, because you were right and she wasn't and violence was not the answer."

"And it wasn't! Katara even admitted that she didn't kill him!"

"You're missing the point entirely."

"Well then, what is the point?" he asked petulantly.

"The point is that you were trying to talk her out of doing something she needed to do. Whether she killed the man or not wasn't even important -"

"How can you say that? All life is important!" he burst out, and before he knew it he had a rock mask covering the lower half of his face, effectively holding his mouth shut. He was so shocked that he didn't even think to bend it away.

"_Katara_ is important! At least, you keep saying she is. And yet the one time she needed you, needed all of us, no one was there for her. No one but Zuko. He understood her. He didn't try to change her mind, didn't try to talk her out of anything. He did exactly what we all should have done. He stayed by her side and helped her do something she felt she had to. He supported her where you wouldn't. And he did so without being asked to. He offered to help because he could see she needed that closure. Because he understood that there are more important things than forgiveness. He _saw_ her, Twinkles. He saw what she wanted, what she needed, and instead of making her feel bad, instead of trying to make her something she's not, he basically held out his hands and said 'how can I help?' _That's_ my point. While you were too busy being self-righteous, he was busy supporting the woman you claim to love." She let the rock dissolve so he could speak again were he so inclined. And he was.

"So because he was willing to help her go kill a man that means he cares more than I do?" Aang's voice was stubborn, but for once Toph responded with something like patience.

"No. He was willing to let Katara be Katara rather than trying to convince her to think and feel in ways she didn't. He accepts her, loves her, for everything she is...and for everything she isn't. I have never..." she trailed off for a moment, idly bouncing a rock back and forth between her hands. "I have never felt anything as solid, as honest, as what the two of them have between them. It's amazing. And I am so happy for both of them." She stood up and turned to leave the courtyard, but spoke one last time over her shoulder.

"Feel however you want. Feel angry, feel betrayed, whatever. But just know Katara would never deliberately hurt you. And stop and think what a true friend would do for someone they care about. She'll need our support, all of us, in the coming days. Things aren't going to be all sunshine and sparkles for those two.

"And think on this as well. Is your jealousy enough to risk losing the friendship of the woman who has stood by your side in everything, even though you didn't do the same for her?" The earthbender walked out of the courtyard then, leaving a confused, hurt boy sitting on a bench alone with his thoughts and wondering when his world had changed so drastically.

* * *

The reception hall was decked out beautifully in varying shared of red and blue, gold and silver, the entire effect breathtaking. Small candles interspersed with torches lit the enormous room, filling the entire area with a warm yellow glow. It was grand. It was gorgeous.

It could have been colored in neon and filled with fish for all Katara noticed.

Walking into the large room, her hand firmly on Zuko's arm, the only thing giving her any comfort right at that moment was the feel of him against her. She knew he was just as shaken as she was but he'd had years of training on how to banish all personal feelings and act in a manner befitting nobility, so she tried to emulate him as best she could. Holding her head high, fixing a proud yet slightly overwhelmed expression on her face, she took a deep breath as the herald announced them.

"Presenting Fire Lord Zuko and the Fire Consort, Master Katara!"

Any and all conversation stopped, the crackling of the torches the only counterpoint to her own breathing. It seemed to Katara that the entire room, the entire world, was waiting on them. And then she looked at Zuko and found those golden eyes she loved so much gazing back at her, confidence in their depths and grace in his bearing, and she took a deep breath. Nodding once, a small gesture, she stepped out into public for the first time as the official bride-to-be of the Lord of the Fire Nation. She forced all thoughts of Aang to the back of her mind. She'd known when she agreed to this that she would have to play the part – now was the time to begin.

It wasn't as difficult as she thought it would be. Many of the delegates and dignitaries that they spoke with were ones she had already faced over a council table and she soon found her tension draining away, falling gracefully into her new role with such aplomb that it would have startled even her, had she wondered about it. The first half of the reception was the formal half, designed solely to permit the betrothed couple time to make connections and affirm their status with those privileged enough to be invited. As such she kept her public smile in place for far longer than she ever had before, finding the task both easier and harder than she anticipated. Eventually, though, they had made their way to the small dais at the end of the room and stepped up to the table. This was the signal that the meal was about to start, and the collection of people milling about began to head to their own tables. Katara sat down with a sigh, allowing Zuko to push her chair in for her before taking his own seat. He reached for her hand and she turned to face him.

"You are doing beautifully," he whispered sincerely. She cursed the fact that she knew she was blushing and did her best to ignore it. "And now that the formalities are done, we just have to get through dinner and then we can go find your family."

"Our family," she murmured, glancing away across the room as she did so. When she returned her gaze to his, however, she saw him staring intently at her. Unsure what was going through his mind she gave his hand a light squeeze, one that he returned while letting his lips curve in a small smile.

"Our family," he agreed, and she found herself wondering what he was thinking that brought the look of slightly awed disbelief to his eyes. At that point the servers arrived with the first course of the meal, Zuko and Katara being served first. As their plates were set in front of them and uncovered, she looked at her food and gasped in delight. Wide eyed, she turned to her betrothed.

"Zuko! Pickled fish? Where did you get this?"

"Oh, I spoke to a few people," he said nonchalantly, taking a bite or his own food – something that appeared to be sausage-like. "I know it's more of a Northern Water Tribe dish, but I remember Sokka saying you both had liked it while you were there, so I made some...inquiries." He made it a point to focus on his own plate but she could tell he was watching her reaction regardless. She gave him a grin and took a bite of her dinner, unable to suppress a moan at the taste of the familiar dish. Another bite followed, and another, and in short order she had cleaned her plate and was washing down the seafood with several swallows of the lightly-flavored chilled tea that had been poured for her. Not long after, Zuko had finished his own appetizer and sat back. A quick glance over the floor showed him that most of the gathered guests had also finished their opening courses as well and he nodded discreetly to the head of servers. Conversation picked up around the floor while the servants slipped in and out unobtrusively, collecting the emptied plates and cups in skillful silence. In the break between the clearing of the tables and the serving of the main dishes, Zuko stood to address those gathered.

"Honored visitors. Friends. Family." His voice wasn't loud but it carried and Katara knew that even those in the clear back of the hall would be able to hear his words.

"I'll be brief. We wish to thank each and every one of you for joining us for this happy occasion. Your support of our intended union means so much more than we could ever express, and we are honored that you are willing to stand with us as we all prepare to step forward into the future – a future we all have a part in creating. Thank you once more, from the bottom of our hearts. And now - let's enjoy our meals." He appeared slightly overwhelmed by the applause as he took his seat again and Katara reached over to lay her hand on his arm.

"That was wonderful, Zuko."

"Not too pompous?" he asked anxiously. She stifled a smile and shook her head.

"Not at all." Just then she was distracted by the arrival of the main course. A large bowl was set in front of her but before they could even lift the lid she recognized the aroma of the food and turned to her companion excitedly.

"Stewed sea prunes! Oh, you _are_ amazing!" Anything further she may have said was converted to happy mumbling around mouthfuls of down-home cooking she thought she'd be giving up forever. Across the room she could hear an excited yelp and nearly choked as she realized it was her brother's voice. Raising an eyebrow at the firebender beside her, she found him chuckling under his breath. He looked at her with a smile.

"What, you think I'd go to all this trouble just for you? In case you weren't aware of it, my future father- and brother-in-law are also fond of Water Tribe cuisine." She did a double-take, eyes wide, before deciding to let it slide and just enjoy her meal. His piece said, Zuko turned to his own food as well and conversational silence descended over the hall.


	11. Chapter 11

_Even taking on Ozai was easier than this._

He sat outside in the courtyard once Toph left, feeling old, feeling worn. Feeling out of touch with everything he'd thought the world was supposed to be. He was hurting. And he was alone. This wasn't how he'd imagined things going. Or rather, it was exactly how he'd thought it would be – right up to the point where the girl he loved ended up betrothed to another guy. Oh, he knew Toph was right - the two of them did have something between them. Admitting that wasn't the hard part. The hard part was trying to figure out how what they had could possibly trump the fact that she belonged with him.

_I paid attention to her. I love her. So what if I didn't want her to go after Yon Rah? She didn't have to do that. She should have just let it go. It's not like threatening him would bring her mother back anyway._

But even as he tried to rationalize everything, he knew the earthbender had been right. He had tried to...not control Katara, not really. But change her mind, bring her around to his way of thinking. How often had she expressed reluctance to do something and he goaded or guilted her into it anyway?

Still...Zuko? Why? Why him? He might have been able to handle it better if she'd ended up with almost anyone else. But he trusted Zuko. They were friends. How could the firebender do that to him? How could he take away the one person Aang loved?

And Katara – how could she? How could she walk away from him? Didn't she know that they belonged together? She was the Avatar's girl, everyone knew it. She found him, she taught him. She was supposed to stay with him. They were supposed to be together forever. She was supposed to help him rebuild the Air Temples, to help him look for any other Air Nomads that may have escaped the slaughter, that may have hidden from Fire Nation wrath. For crying out loud, she was his first friend! She should have stayed with him! But no, she overreacted to his perfectly reasonable expectations for their future, and when he returned after giving her some space it was to find that the girl who claimed to not want marriage had agreed to become betrothed to the former prince. How wrong was that? Katara didn't belong in a palace. She belonged with him, traveling on Appa, flying the skies, exploring the planet, enjoying the perks that came with being the saviors of the world.

When did it all go wrong?

His thoughts chasing each other like a puppy that had just found it's tail, the Avatar leaned back and stared up into the night sky, knowing it had no answers for him but hoping anyway.

* * *

"Where's Aang?" Suki asked as Toph wandered into the hall and dropped into her chair. The younger girl shrugged.

"Left him in a courtyard thinking about stuff. How're Sparky and Sweetness doing?"

"They're doing great. Katara looks like she was born to this role," Suki said with a fond smile. On her other side Sokka snorted.

"Katara was born Water Tribe," he mumbled around a mouthful of food, his speech almost incomprehensible. "There's nothing we can't do."

"Except learn table manners, apparently," Toph snarked. "Or is that just you?" Suki laughed while the boomerang wielder sputtered, insulted.

"I'll have you know I have very good table manners," he said with a pompous air.

"Okay, okay, I believe you," Toph said. "By the way, you've got sea prunes on your shirt." The entire table laughed when Sokka gasped and looked down only to realize the shorter girl had played him again.

"Very funny, Toph," he grumbled before deliberately ignoring her and returning back to his second helping of dinner.

"Master Toph – how did the Avatar seem to be doing when you left him?" Hakoda's calm voice was tinged with parental worry. Toph sighed.

"He doesn't think he's to blame for anything – he sees it as Zuko taking Katara from him." The older man nodded slowly.

"I thought he might feel that way. He's got a lot to deal with and no real frame of reference to help him."

"I explained a few things to him, and I know he understood what I was saying, but he's being stubborn and getting all 'I'm the Avatar'-y." Toph sighed and picked at the plate the server had just sat down in front of her, taking a small bite of the roast duck more out of reflex than hunger.

"He'll come around eventually," Suki said with hopeful certainty.

"I hope so," the earthbender muttered.

* * *

From their place at the head table Zuko and Katara saw Toph come in unaccompanied. Katara sighed.

"He must still be mad," she murmured. Zuko reached out and placed his hand over hers, holding it briefly.

"We'll talk to him. We'll work it all out." Though his voice was sure, his eyes were as concerned as hers were. They ate in silence for a while before she spoke again.

"Zuko, earlier, after the announcement, before Uncle interrupted you, you were about to say something. What was it?" Blue eyes fixed on him curiously and he choked on his sausage and rice, taking a few sips of rice wine to clear his airways before trying to answer.

"I, um...I...I don't remember." She arched a skeptical eyebrow at him and he felt his cheeks heat but he turned back to his plate. He was relieved when she didn't push the issue, but he knew better than to think it was along term reprieve. Still, Zuko didn't want the first time he confessed his feelings to his best friend to be in front of a room full of people, when they were both worried about Aang. Suddenly his meal didn't seem as appetizing. His mind began to wander on its own.

It had been a lot of work to get them to accept him. He'd tried to convince himself he didn't want their acceptance, didn't need it. He was there to teach the Avatar firebending so that his father could be taken down and he could work on trying to fix the injustice and the wrongs he'd finally decided to face rather than ignore. Besides, the kid was annoying, never listening, never applying himself. It was a frustrating mess. But somewhere along the way he'd come to respect Aang a little, to trust him a bit. Somehow, some way, he'd stopped seeing him only as a duty and realized that the kid was actually a friend. To think that he'd upset his friend bothered him. But at the same time, he couldn't deny that he rejoiced in the fact that Katara was by his side, and with any luck he could convince her to want to stay there. He sighed and pushed his rice around his plate. A moment later he felt her hand cover his and he turned to her. Her cheeky grin nearly masked the worry in her eyes.

"Don't look so fierce. They'll think we're having lover's spats already." He blinked repeatedly, partially because of the knowledge that apparently his public demeanor had slipped enough for her to notice, but also because that word had rolled so easily off her tongue that it stunned him momentarily.

"Lover's spats? But we're not lovers!" he blurted quietly – and watched her cheeks blaze as she suddenly found her empty bowl fascinating. Her voice was low when she spoke.

"You know what I mean. If you sit there scowling they'll think we're not happy together and they'll start questioning. We're supposed to be blissfully happy, right?"

He sat in silence for a moment, digesting what she'd said before deciding he'd never get an opportunity this perfect again. In full view of the gathered nobility and guests, the family, the servants, Zuko waited until she had picked up her glass of wine, leaned over, and brushed one finger over her neck as he pressed his lips softly to her bare shoulder.

Then he had to keep from laughing as a servant scurried over to clean up the mess from where the glass had crashed out of her hand, over the front of the table, and shattered on the floor. The entire room was staring at the front table, at the obviously flustered waterbender and the Fire Lord who was trying desperately to keep his expression innocent while she glared at him with eyes of blue flame.

"You _really_ want to play this game, Zuzu?" she inquired, her expression as sweet as her voice was not. "Think before you speak."

"Is that a challenge, Master Katara? Because you know I cannot let it slide if it is." He loved baiting her, loved seeing that spark, that temper flare. But rather than responding immediately she simply turned her attention back to her new, unbroken glass of rice wine, sipping daintily while she gazed out over the room with all the regal bearing of a queen. He figured she wasn't going to reply and decided to return to his own dinner when her low, haunting murmur caught his ears.

"You forget, my darling, you still have to get through the betrothal dance."

The mischievous, retaliatory look she shot him out of the corner of her eye made him swallow hard and wonder if perhaps poking this particular dragon had been the brightest idea.

* * *

In a nondescript house on the outskirts of a small Fire Nation village, a man was waiting in the shadows. He'd been waiting a while, but he was patient. For the amount they were paying, he would be as patient as they wanted. The sound of footsteps outside were followed by the slight whisper as the door was pushed open. Two cloak-clad shapes entered, walking with deliberate steps and very obviously trying to make no noise. The man snorted to himself. _Amateurs._ But that was okay. Amateurs paid well on average. He decided to let them stew for a while before announcing his presence.

"Where is he?" the slimmer shape hissed.

"He'll be here," the other one said with the confidence born of wealth. "He wants this as much as we do. Our goals are his goals."

The man in the shadows rolled his eyes. His goal was money, pure and simple. These men with their petty schemes and their politics and their doubletalk – if they wished to believe him an avenging angel for their side, it didn't bother him any. They could call him Avatar Roku and praise his name through all three nations as long as he got the money they promised.

"How much do you know about this man?" the hesitant one asked, seeming to forget that they were trying to be quiet and speaking in a normal voice. The slight accent and cultured tone gave him away as a member of nobility, if the observer had needed such hints.

"No one knows a lot, just that he's the best at what he does. He'll get the job done."

"So he'll be able to..."

"Yes."

They stood there in silence for a few minutes, getting more and more nervous and twitchy. The man thought it was rather amusing.

"So where is he?"

"He'll be here."

Deciding to end the game, entertaining though it was to watch the high-class pansies shaking, he stepped out of the shadows behind them and glided silently up until he was close enough to smell their sweat.

"Do you have the money?"

Both nobles whirled to face the voice, the endeavor quite comical as the slighter one got tangled in his own cloak. They gained their composure fast enough, he supposed.

"Right here. Half in advance. Those are your terms, correct?" the larger of the two said as he pulled a canvas pouch from beneath his outer tunic, along with a rolled parchment sealed with wax.

"Yes."

"And here are the instructions," the nobleman continued, proffering the parchment. The man took it and slipped it in his own pocket without even glancing at it. Time for that later when he wasn't surrounded by morons. He kept silent, waiting to see if they'd have anything else to say. The wealthy were so predictable. Sure enough, the shorter one spoke nervously.

"So, how will we...I mean, when it's done..?"

"You'll know when I am successful."

"How?"

The man began to walk backwards slowly, blending back into the shadows he was so at home in.

"The entire nation will scream." With that he disappeared from their sight completely, though he remained hidden in the darkened room.

He was impressed, though. It took the men a whole five seconds to bolt for the door and the comfort of freedom.

_How stupid they are. They don't realize they have sealed the death of the freedom they so blatantly claim as their birthright. _


	12. Chapter 12

Author's note: I apologize for the wait, but I think it might have been worth it. I'll let you all draw your own conclusions. :)

* * *

The end of the formal reception seemed to take forever in Katara's eyes. Between Zuko's stunt that had her flinging her wine glass off the table and the look in his eyes as she reminded him of the betrothal dance – two parts apprehension to one part anticipation, with a spoon or two of curiosity – any butterflies she had felt about her upcoming performance were chased away. Suddenly she was more than ready to have this first half of their reception over, for the nobles that were leaving to leave, for her chance to make Zuko completely fall apart. She knew that even if her tribe members had warned him about the dance, they would have been forbidden from giving details...after all, until they actually married he was still marginally an outsider. So she knew he had no idea whatsoever what kind of trouble he was really in. The thought made her feel warm and powerful, and chancing a look from the corner of her eye she could tell that her fiance was picking up on the confidence that she felt.

"Once this first half of the reception is over, there will be a break until moonrise," he whispered to her in a low voice. She said nothing, only turning to regard him from under her lashes as she sipped her drink. Watching his eyes widen as he swallowed hard was...quite gratifying, really. She had the idle thought that perhaps mixing traditions wasn't such a bad thing after all. Fire Nation betrothal receptions were usually much longer and more formal, starting at high noon and lasting until the sun went down at which point the festivities were considered to be over. However, in the Southern Water Tribe, the only part of their celebrations that took place before sundown was the feast. All of the dancing and revelry waited until the moon rose to begin. By requesting to adhere to both traditions, Katara had assured herself that she wouldn't be stuck behind a table or mingling with political allies all day with nothing to look forward to that night. She'd claimed she would need time to prepare, and Zuko was more than happy to cut the banquet short, as he didn't care for boredom either.

"Once everyone has dispersed, I've got to go with Suki and Toph to get ready," she said quietly. "You can hang out with Uncle or Sokka or whatever."

"Geez, engaged for less than a day and you're already pushing me aside?" he joked quietly. She just chuckled.

"Of course not, darling," she said, her voice saccharine-sweet as she turned to meet his gaze. "I'm only making sure that my husband-to-be will be completely...satisfied...by my betrothal gift to him." She reached her hand over and traced a finger along the back of his arm and watched as his breath caught.

"You are evil," he whispered, and she couldn't hold back a laugh.

"You started it, Zuko. Aren't all firebenders taught never to play with the flames if they're not willing to get burnt?" Her giggle was wicked as he groaned softly and rested his head in his hands.

"What on earth have I gotten myself into?" he muttered.

The rest of the dinner was uneventful. As much as Katara was realizing she enjoyed flirting with Zuko, she also felt a little odd. Wasn't it just the day before that she'd been swearing to all and sundry that this was a betrothal of convenience? Yet here she was, teasing him like she'd never dared to before, her mind racing to figure out how exactly to ask him if he thought, maybe, they might actually make a go of this for real. And yet, it felt so...right, so freeing, to be able to joke with him like – well, like a lover would. And to be honest, she hadn't gotten the idea that he minded, but the part of her that was still scared to lose her best friend was screaming caution in her ears. By the time the sun had begun to set and Zuko had risen to thank all of the assembly once more, effectively ending the reception, she had worked herself back into a state of nervousness, something that was not helped when he announced that any wishing to return after moonrise for the Southern Water Tribe portion of the reception was more than welcome. She stared up at him, eyes wide in shock.

"Zuko, you _know_ very few of them will pass up a chance to see what your future wife's homeland customs are!" she hissed frantically. He never once looked at her, not even when he sat back down. Reaching for his glass, he waited until most of the nobles had left the room before speaking softly.

"Why, Katara, I thought you might like a bigger audience for when you put me in my place again. Certainly you had no problems in the bender arena." He drained his wine and then turned to look at her, eyes gleaming. She took a deep breath, realizing he was baiting her and knowing she had no other choice but to accept the challenge so blatantly displayed in his gaze.

"I...you...oh, that's it, pretty boy," she snarled. "Audience or not, you are going down." She blotted her lips with her napkin and stood, keeping her smile sweet for the remaining bystanders as he rose to his feet beside her. Turning to face him, she raised her hand to the nape of his neck and snorted softly when he shivered. "You go be good for a bit, while I go get ready to give your country a show they will _never_ forget." Without another word, she leaned forward and kissed him lightly, pausing only long enough to appreciate his shell-shocked expression before making her way down off the dais and walking to where Suki and Toph were standing by the far doorway. As she approached she heard the two girls laughing softly.

"What was all that about up there, Katara?" Suki asked with a giggle. "Zuko looks like he's about to implode!"

"Oh, nothing much," the waterbender said airily, turning to wave at the stunned firebender who hadn't moved from his place yet. "I just reminded Zuko that he's not betrothed to a shy, meek little Water Tribe girl."

"Sweetness, you are going to give that guy a heart attack." Toph sounded completely amused by the entire situation, and Katara chuckled.

"Oh, I don't want to do that. If I put him in the hospital, it would just make more work for me." The three girls laughed as they walked out of the reception hall. It was time to prepare for the next act.

* * *

"Zuko, man, whatever you said to Katara...you have no idea what you just got yourself into." Sokka had walked up to the firebender shaking his head ruefully, Hakoda following a few paces behind with Iroh. Zuko blinked rapidly, taking a deep breath.

"I...Agni, I just..." He turned to his friend. "Sokka, what the hell have I done? I _know_ not to challenge Katara!" He groaned as he slumped back down into the chair, utterly grateful that the only people left in the room were close friends, family, and servants who had seen far worse behavior from him.

"I believe this might be a blessing in disguise, Nephew," Iroh said thoughtfully, though the twinkle in his eyes belied the serious tone.

"How?" Zuko asked plaintively. His uncle raised an eyebrow.

"You mean to tell me you can't think of a single advantage to having a beautiful, talented, and devoted young woman doing her best to drive you out of your mind? Maybe we should have had more conversations when you were growing up..." As Zuko groaned once more and slumped further into his seat, the other three males began to laugh.

"Agni...she's going to kill me, isn't she? And in front of everyone in the palace. And it's all my fault."

"Well, at least you should be used to Katara publicly humiliating you by now," Sokka said with mock helpfulness, reaching onto the table to grab the last slice of bread. Golden eyes came up to glare severely at him.

"Not funny."

"Come on. Katara making a spectacle of you is _always_ funny."

Sokka was still chuckling as he brushed the charred remains of bread from his shirt.

* * *

Back in Katara's room, the waterbender was far less composed than she had led her fiance to believe.

"I can't do this."

"Yes you can," Suki said reassuringly from her place on the edge of the bed.

"Sure you can, Sugar Queen," Toph added, hiding her smile with skill. "By the way – what exactly is it that you're doing?" The youngest girl seemed honestly curious. In front of them, Katara paused and looked at her friends.

"I...well, I'm dancing."

"Doesn't sound too hard," Suki said gently. Katara barked a laugh.

"Oh, it's not. The dance itself is easy, and to tell the truth it's really fun. But the...well, the whole point of this is for the woman to display her eagerness to fulfill her husband's wishes in bed. It's essentially designed to prove that she's willing to do whatever he wants to insure that he's happy and satisfied."

"And this is a public performance? Damn, Sweetness, your tribe is a lot more kinky than I gave you credit for," Toph chuckled. Suki chose to not comment on that. Instead, she turned the matter back to Katara's obvious anxiety.

"So if it's fun and you know the steps, why are you so nervous? You can't tell me it's because you don't want Zuko." To the Kiyoshi's amusement Katara blushed at the blunt words, but her voice was steady when she replied.

"It's...it's not that."

"Then what?" As the honest question in her friend's tone, Katara sighed.

"Usually this is only performed in front of the tribe. But tonight I'm going to be climbing on Zuko's lap in front of a total roomful of not just family and friends, but nobles and delegates...people that need to see me as a political force to be reckoned with."

"And you're afraid that this will make them see you as nothing but eye candy?"

"Pretty much."

"You know," Toph said when the other two had stopped talking, "I think you're overreacting. Anyone who's met you across a table already knows that you're more than just fluff. And anyone who hasn't will get over their assumptions really quick whenever they have to deal with you in an official capacity."

"Toph's got a point," Suki agreed. "If anything, this will just serve to make the other nations more aware of the fact that you can be smart, deadly, and sexy. It's a dangerous trifecta where men are concerned. They're going to be likely to be more cautious when dealing with you than not. At least the smart ones will be."

"You think so?" Katara asked hesitantly.

"Absolutely," the warrior said. There was silence for a moment while the Water Tribe girl digested this new thought, but when she looked back up at her friends the resolve in her eyes was second only to the mischief.

"All right, then. Since I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it my way. But I'll need your help, both of you." Seeing the eagerness on her friends' faces, she began to outline her plan and their parts in it. She was the future Fire Lady – Zuko's wife, whether or not he realized it yet. And by the end of the night, the whole damned world would know it.

* * *

Walking into the smaller banquet hall took every bit of resolve Zuko had – not because he wasn't looking forward to the upcoming performance, but because he was afraid he might be looking forward to it _too_ much. The knowing smiles of Hakoda and Iroh on his left did nothing to calm him, nor did the smug – yet slightly uncomfortable – smirk on Sokka's face where he walked on the firebender's other side. With a determined mien Zuko drew on every ounce of willpower he possessed to keep his expression straight and his tone moderate as he walked away from his friends and family and stepped into the center of a large circle. The outside ring of the circle was marked with torches at five foot intervals, eight torches in all, and in the very center was, as promised, a sturdy backless chair with a plush cushion. He saw the gathered people out of his peripheral vision, but he kept his eyes firmly focused on the seat in the middle of the circle, walking with even, measured strides until he reached it. Once there, he took a deep breath and looked around. Had he not been watching he never would have seen Suki dart into the hall and over to the Water Tribe musicians that were sitting behind the gathered people, never would have seen them break out into laughter and nods at whatever she said before she disappeared out the far door once more. He swallowed hard several times before he felt composed enough for his voice not to crack when he spoke.

"Welcome everyone. As I'm sure you've all at least heard, tonight we will be witnessing a custom from my future wife's people. I am told that the Southern Water Tribe's betrothal dance is not to be missed. So, make yourselves comfortable. I believe the show will start shortly." Feeling far more uncomfortable than he showed and suddenly thinking that inviting all and sundry might not have been the smartest idea, he sat with far more calm and poise than he actually felt and waited for Katara to appear.

He didn't have to wait long.

The first thing he noticed were the soft drumbeats. The slow, rhythmic thumping started so quietly it was almost inaudible, but eventually he became aware of the pulsing beat, its pattern reminiscent of a heartbeat. As the percussion grew louder, more insistent, he became aware of the gentle sound of a flute threading its way into the song, the soft, haunting sound rising and falling like breath. The music wrapped around him, and before he knew it he'd unconsciously matched his breathing to the flute, his heartbeat mimicking the drums. And then the fog began to appear.

At the start it was small tendrils, weaving their way through the crowd, skirting along the floor like tiny, opaque ribbons. They swirled and wove together, then apart, never staying still, their movements almost mesmerizing. More and more fog appeared, never rising above knee level but gathering and thickening until the entire circle was filled with the misty droplets, almost seeming to breathe along with the music as well. It was hypnotic, relaxing, and Zuko began to feel his tension drain away bit by bit.

Soon, though, a new sound had begun to make its presence known. A bit like a whisper, a bit like a hum, it began by matching the rise and fall of the flute's smooth murmurs but swiftly worked its own melody in, a mysterious and enticing rhythm and pitch that tingled in his ears and made him shiver pleasantly. And then she appeared, and Zuko could have sworn he was dreaming because there was no possible way this could be reality.

She was wearing the cloak he'd had made for her, wrapped completely around herself. It hid all that was underneath, but it was hanging so loosely that there were no curves, no shape visible beneath the folds. With the fog she came, moving so lightly she seemed to be gliding, the moist tendrils swirling in her wake. Closer and closer she came, and he was hypnotized by her smooth approach, by the fires that blazed in her eyes, flames that put anything he could ever create to shame. He didn't even realize he'd stopped breathing until her hand, slipping out from beneath the cloak, traced down along his scar and startled air back into his lungs.

"Zuko," she whispered. Or he thought she whispered. He was so lost in her eyes he had no idea whether she'd actually spoken or if he was just wishing she had. The music, now a thing of non-interest, nonetheless filled the background with a melody that had morphed from soothing and relaxing to an insistent, throbbing pulse. The fog had thinned to a mere layer of wisp, enough to add just a shimmer of gold where it reflected the flickering torchlight. She stood in front of him for a moment longer before beginning to circle him slowly. Her hand on his cheek traced down his jawline, dropping to trail along his collarbone as she began to move behind him, the pressure of her fingertips a sweet torture as the glided over fabric and skin. When she had finally circled around and come to a full stop in front of him, her smile was both wicked and welcoming and he thought his heart may have slowly lowered herself to her knees, head bowed, and looked up at him from under her full, dark lashes.

"Unfasten my cloak, Zuko."

Eyes wide, he no more could have refused her than he could have beheaded himself. As though in a dream he saw his hands rising to the clasp at her throat, felt the cool metal separate, and then she was reaching up and grasping his hands and placing them firmly at his sides and he understood he was to leave them there. Slowly – so slowly – she stood up, her eyes never once leaving his, and as she reached her full height she shrugged her shoulders, letting the cloak fall to the floor. And Zuko's entire world came to a screeching halt.

She was still wearing the dress he designed, which would have been alluring enough in itself, but it seemed she'd taken some...liberties with it. The laces that had once run from hip to mid-thigh were gone, small bells threaded through the loops instead, baring her legs to the hip on both sides and causing a small jingling sound when she moved. Those laces had apparently been used for another purpose, the dark blue strands crisscrossing from ankle to knee, highlighting he shape and strength of her calves as well as the slenderness of her bare feet. The bodice had been...altered a bit, somehow, because he knew her curves hadn't been so prominent earlier. On one hip she had the symbol for the Water Tribe painted in shades of blue, but on her other hip was the emblem of the Fire Nation, and the red paint seemed to catch the torchlight and spin it back in a sparkling shimmer. Eyes wide, mouth open, he could do nothing but stare at the vision standing before him. She was breathtaking beyond anything he had ever imagined. She was perfection, a goddess personified.

She was dancing.

She started slowly, not much more than the occasional twitch of her hips, the bells providing a playful counterpoint to the background music that had begun to morph once more; now insistent and deep and dark, it seemed to hint at the secrets the night held, to torment and to enthrall. Before long she was swaying in place, flowing so gracefully as to put water to shame. Her arms came up and she arched her back, her hair tumbling down off of her shoulders to stream behind her as she spun fluidly, the soft strands brushing against his cheek as they fanned out. He caught a whiff of a sweet, yet somehow spicy fragrance and it tickled along his spine like a tiny electric spark. The torches cast flickering shadows as she bent and shifted, caressing her curves and making her eyes shine. Every time she met his gaze, he felt like he was going to combust from the heat in hers. A small part of him scoffed at his naïve assumption that a dance was just a dance. Watching her as she moved, he had to admit that he had never in his life been so heated, so turned on – and she hadn't even touched him, really.

Then she did touch him and all previous assumptions flew out the window.

She'd moved beside him, reaching out one hand to trace along the neckline of his tunic, her fingers warm and blazing a trail that left his skin tingling. In the next instant he froze, however, as she shifted swiftly and slid into his lap, wrapping both arms around his neck and sliding her leg up along his back, her heel resting on the edge of his seat while one hand tugged the metal flame from his hair and the other loosened his ponytail. She brought her other leg up and settled them both around his waist as both hands tugged his hair, tilting his head back, and then her lips were on the underside of his jawline and he lost all ability to think, to breathe, to do anything but moan softly. Just before he could gather the presence of mind to bring his hands up to hold her in place, however, she shifted again, long enough to press a soft, teasing kiss to his lips before she left his lap to stand on the floor once more. And then the real torment began.

With a whispered "don't even think of moving your hands, Zuzu," she began to dance, to truly dance, her sinuous movements making his mouth go completely dry. He could have cared less. Nothing in the world mattered, could ever matter more than the woman who was doing a damn fine job of turning him into a melted puddle of slush. He'd completely forgotten about their audience, and it was obvious she had as well because she was no longer playing her role for both him and the observers. No, now her focus was completely on the man in the backless chair, and his was on the woman who was succeeding in making him forget anything else existed.

She spun gently, the dress flaring out slightly and accentuating those long legs he could still feel wrapped around him. She moved for him, danced for him, her eyes meeting his over and again and proving that he wasn't the only one being affected by her actions. At one point she had dropped to her hands and knees, crawling over to him like a cat and nuzzling her face against the outside of his thigh, and he cursed fluently under his breath. Her lips quirked in a grin and she purred at him before standing up and sliding away once more.

He had no concept of how long it lasted, of how often she'd slid herself against him, of the number of times her tongue had flickered along his ear or his neck. Time didn't have any meaning for the two of them here. She was embodying every desire, giving meaning to every motion. And finally, as the music began to wind down and she began to slow, the light sheen of sweat on her skin making it gleam tantalizingly in the golden firelight, he was given the opportunity he'd wanted all night. She climbed gracefully back onto his lap, her hands resting on his collarbones, those blue-blue eyes inches from his own, and she breathed out his salvation.

"Kiss me?"

His body registered her words before his brain did, and by the time he realized what he was doing he'd drug her close, his arms trapping her solidly against his chest as he plundered her mouth with his own. She still tasted of rice wine, he noticed absently, but he didn't really care because she was filling his embrace and his heart and his senses and there was nothing, _nothing_ in the world that would ever be more important to him than the woman he planned to make his wife in every way possible. And when he felt her returning his heated kiss a growl of triumph made its way from his chest and his arms tightened further, feeling her pressing so close to him and yet not close enough, never close enough.

It was the applause that brought them to their senses.

Not wanting to let go of her, nonetheless he forced his arms to loosen, to give her the opportunity to leave – an opportunity she didn't take. Instead, she let her fingers slide back into his hair, totally ignoring the catcalls and the approving comments from the circle around them. Her eyes locked onto his and his mouth opened, spilling words like water before he realized there was a leak.

"Katara, please...marry me. For real. I can't...I don't want to imagine my life without you by my side."

Her eyes widened, her mouth open slightly as she registered what he had said.

"Zuko," she murmured, seemingly unable to say anything else, but now that the floodgates had been opened he found he could talk enough for both of them.

"'Tara, I've loved you forever, it seems. Before I joined you all, you enthralled me. You filled my thoughts, my mind. I thought it was just animosity, but when you touched me in the Crystal Caves...Agni, Katara, I loved you then and I love you now. I was scared before. I'm still scared. I'm beyond scared. Please say you'll stay with me. There is no one, _no one_, I want by my side more than you. You make me feel whole in a way I didn't know I was missing. I know this is too much, that you don't love me like that, but I...gods, I don't know how to exist without you. I don't want to know. Please..."

It wasn't until she reached up to brush her finger along his cheek that he realized there were tears there, and it took him a moment longer to recognize the silence that had fallen over the hall. Everyone present had heard him pouring out his heart to the waterbender on his lap. But he didn't care. The only reaction, the only answer that mattered was hers, and he waited, not breathing, not even blinking, for the hammer to fall. He'd said too much, confessed too much, and now was where she would tell him that she was his best friend but that she didn't feel anything more for him that that, and -

"Tui and La, Zuko, I love you so much. Of course I'll stay." He didn't even have time to truly comprehend her statement before she was kissing him this time, but the loud burst of cheers and applause convinced him that he hadn't imagined her response. And then he was kissing her back and everything was finally, perfectly right for the first time in his entire life.


	13. Chapter 13

"See? I told you you'd figure out something. I just thought it would take longer."

"I blame your sister. She brings out the best in me."

"I don't even want to think about that man, thanks."

"You brought it up."

Most of the delegates and nobility had left, and it was a true Southern Water Tribe gathering now. Every tribe member was present, joined by those brave Fire Nation individuals that weren't too shocked by the earlier entertainment to stay. Zuko looked around the hall, smiling to see that a lot of the visiting diplomats had stayed, and a good number of his own councilors chose to remain as well. To his delight all three nations were mingling with no visible conflict. At one side he saw the trade advisors for both the Earth Kingdom and the Northern Water Tribe talking with the man he had recently appointed to the same position in his own cabinet, following the dismissal of the former Councilor Tsukasi. This new trade minister, a man named Giang, came highly recommended and even though he was quite a few years younger than most of the advisors, he'd already proven to have a decent amount of common sense, fair judgment, and a remarkable way with people. Zuko was very pleased with the choice. Over by a door leading to a small outer balcony, he noticed a few of the elder members of both courts sitting around a Pai Sho board where, no surprise, his uncle was also sitting. Hakoda was talking with an Earth Kingdom noble and his wife near a sculpture of a dragon. And in the center of the floor, surrounded by a slew of the younger members of all the nations, were Katara, Suki, and Toph, enjoying the opportunity to unwind and dance and celebrate to the rhythm of the Water Tribe musicians – who had, incidentally, been joined by two daughters of Earth Kingdom aristocracy who were quite skilled with their finger harps as well as his own personal musicians, the three young men skilfully putting words and phrases from popular Fire Nation songs to the much more primal beats of the music that was being played. It was a wonderful collaboration...or maybe he just thought it was wonderful because Katara was dancing to it. He decided it didn't matter.

"You have a really sappy look on your face, Zuko," Sokka said with a smirk, munching on a skewer of mixed meats. The Fire Lord just shook his head, chuckling.

"I just...I still can't believe she said yes." He sighed. "I never in a million years imagined she'd ever say yes." Just then the 'she' in question wove her way out of the crowd followed by the Kiyoshi warrior and the earthbender. With a smooth motion she slid forward into Zuko's arms, leaning her head on his shoulder as she matched his happy sigh.

"You guys look so adorable together," Suki said with a grin, snatching Sokka's skewer and taking a bite before handing it back, kissing the corner of his mouth when he gasped in outrage.

"Yeah...you kinda do."

Stunned silence was immediately followed by the entire group turning with synchronized precision to stare at the one who had just spoken. Aang's face reflected sadness, betrayal, and resignation, and his smile was forced, but there was resolve in his eyes and determination in his bearing. No one knew what to say, so the awkward absence of speech stretched on for what felt like aeons. Katara was the first to find something like a voice.

"Aang...I...we..." she squeaked. The Avatar held up one hand.

"Zuko, can I talk to you a moment?" Without waiting for an answer Aang walked away, slipping through the crowds unobtrusively for once and disappearing out a side door. Everyone turned to Zuko, who shrugged, though his eyes revealed his worry.

"Guess it's time to face the music."

"Zuko," Katara began, but he silenced her with a soft kiss and the brush of his fingers over her cheek.

"It's okay. Or it will be. I think. I love you." With that, the firebender turned and followed the path the boy had taken, each step harder than the last. Katara watched him until he, too, disappeared through the opening and then she stared at the door, mind ablaze with so many emotions she couldn't even begin to sort them all.

"It'll be fine, Sweetness," Toph murmured. "This is a conversation that has to happen."

"I know," Katara said. "I just...gods, this became such a mess so quickly. I never wanted to hurt Aang, never."

"We know," soothed Suki. "And he will too, in time."

"You know Aang," Sokka chimed in. "Yeah, he's a bit flighty – heh, flighty, get it? Flighty? And he's an airbender?" He broke off when he realized no one was laughing and that their looks were exasperated. "Um, yeah, anyway, you know that once he thinks about things he'll settle down a little."

"La, I hope so." Dancing forgotten, the crowds unimportant, Katara stood in her spot by the table and kept a vigil over the door on the far side of the room, hoping beyond hope that things would work out somehow.

* * *

From his place at the Pai Sho board, Iroh watched covertly as the Avatar came in. The boy hovered by the door in the shadows for a while, every emotion he felt playing over his face. The older man saw the instant the boy saw Zuko, the hard light in his eyes attesting to his opinion of who was to blame for this turn of events...and then saw how they followed Katara as she and the girls left the dancing crowd and walked to meet the others. Watching Aang as he watched Zuko and Katara, the man could see him square his shoulders and approach the table. The shock on the others' faces would have been comical were it not for the fact that Iroh understood what a hard time this was for them all. From this distance he couldn't hear what was said, but he saw Aang walk across the room and out a side door onto a small private balcony, saw Zuko follow a few minutes later, saw the expression on Katara's face as she gazed after them. Shaking his head, he sighed and returned his attention to the game. They would sort things out among them. It may not be now, but it would happen eventually. He just hoped that they would have enough strength to settle it with maturity.

* * *

Hakoda, still visibly keeping his attention on the conversation he was having, nonetheless watched as Aang hesitated at the doorway before heading over to meet the rest of them by the banquet table. His discomfort and anger was evident, and though Hakoda truly believed his daughter had made the right choice, he remembered how hard coming to grips with reason and rationality was at the age the Avatar was now. Savior of the world or not, he was still just a teenage boy, and the Water Tribe chief felt a very paternal compassion for him, knowing that whatever the boy was going through it would likely be a very long time before what he doubtless saw as betrayal would be forgiven. And it would likely never be forgotten. The older man sighed as the boy disappeared out of the room, shortly followed by Katara's chosen mate, and envied neither of them the conversation that they were likely about to have.

* * *

"Aang, I just want -"

"Not right now, Zuko," the airbender cut in, his voice sharp. Pausing in shock, the Fire Lord just stood and waited. It wasn't a very long wait.

"Why, Zuko? How could you?" Aang was pacing back and forth, gesticulating as he spoke. "Why her? Why Katara? She means everything to me, and you...you...I just don't understand!" Coming to an abrupt halt, the Avatar glared solidly into Zuko's eyes, and the latter was left fumbling for words that would hopefully convey everything he felt.

"I didn't...I mean, I never thought..." He sighed, turning around and walking towards the banister, leaning on it and speaking out into the night. "Aang, you have to know, I never ever meant to hurt you. I never once thought that she could feel something for me other than friendship. And I was fine with that! Having Katara's friendship...it's more than I could ever deserve." He turned back to face the younger boy, who hadn't moved a muscle except to face him.

"This betrothal was supposed to be one of convenience. We'd decided on fabricating an engagement so that I would have the time I need to get my country back on its feet, and so that 'Tara would be able to get a firm foothold in her plans for her hospitals."

"Hospitals? What hospitals?" Aang seemed confused, and Zuko was surprised.

"She...wants to set up hospitals in every nation, staff them with healers and medically-minded people. You know, to help out everyone who was hurt in the war. You...didn't know that?"

"But she can't do that. We're going to rebuild the Air Temples and travel the world!" Zuko's eyes widened, seeing in that moment both how young the Avatar really was still, and understanding completely why Katara had been upset at the boy's assumptions. He tried to keep his voice gentle.

"Aang...did you ever ask Katara if that was what she wanted?"

"Of course it's what she wanted. We were going to travel together forever." The airbender's tone was so matter-of-fact that Zuko had to stifle a groan.

"And what if she wanted to settle down in one place, raise a family?"

"Well, we could take the kids with us! They could grow up all over the world!" Aang sounded so sure, so confident, that in that moment Zuko hated himself for what he was going to have to do. Knowing there was no easy way to make his point, he simply sighed and slipped down to sit on the floor.

"You never asked her what she wanted. Maybe if you had listened to her instead of talking for her, you would have known that she has goals, dreams of her own. Do you even know who she is? I mean, really is, inside?"

"Of course I do. I've known her longer than you have, remember?"

"That doesn't matter."

"Sure it does. I mean, I've known her since she rescued me. You've only known her since you started chasing us...but really, you've only known her since you begged us to let you join up."

"Aang, what is Katara's favorite color?"

"That's easy. Blue." The smug certainty in Aang's expression morphed into confusion when Zuko responded.

"No, it's not. Her favorite color is actually silver...or green, depending on what the item is. But being Water Tribe, she feels more comfortable around blue because it's what she's grown up in. It's familiar, comforting, and reminds her of home."

"But...well, that doesn't mean anything."

"Aang, listen to me. You may love her, and never doubt that she loves you, but she doesn't love you like she would love her husband. It's no less strong, but it isn't the same."

"I don't believe you."

"I know," Zuko sighed, rising to his feet.

"Besides, once your betrothal is over, then she'll be coming with me anyway."

"Once our betrothal is over? Aang, we're getting married."

"But you said it was fake!"

"No, I said that's what it started out to be. But I...well, I asked her to be my wife for real, and she said yes." At that announcement, Aang's demeanor changed, the anger coming to the fore. Zuko actually took a step back at the fierceness in the boy's brown eyes.

"Then we have nothing more to talk about," he snarled. "I see where trusting a traitor gets me."

"Aang..."

"No. We're done. I thought we could be friends, Zuko. I really thought we were friends."

"We are!" Zuko cried insistently, but the Avatar just snorted skeptically.

"A _friend_ wouldn't betray me. A _friend_ wouldn't take Katara from me. A _friend_ would have simply found someone else to marry and not stolen my happiness!"

"But what about _my _happiness, Aang?"

Both males spun around to see Katara standing by the closed door, tears chasing each other down her cheeks.

"What about what I wanted? What about my dreams, my hopes? What about anything I wanted out of life?"

"But, Katara, we wanted the same things!" he protested, his voice switching in an instant from angry to pleading, but she wasn't having any of it.

"No, we didn't! But it's not like you would know that. You know, seeing as how you never asked. It was always 'we're gonna do this' and 'we're gonna go here.' Never once did you say, 'hey, Katara, what are your plans after we save the world?' No, you just always made your decisions and none of us had a choice but to go along." She was struggling to regain her composure, but it was hard, and Zuko wasted no time in heading to her side. Aang could burn, Zuko didn't care. The only thing that mattered was Katara.

"But...I mean, we have fun! And you've always been with me!"

"I know. And I will always be here for you if you need me. But don't you understand? I need to live my life! Not what someone else says my life should be."

"No, I don't understand! Your life? So, what, you're marrying Zuko because you want to prove you can make your own choices? That seems kind of dumb." Aang was deliberately baiting Katara, but whereas Zuko did it for play he could tell the Avatar was doing it to goad her into admitting he was right. Inwardly the firebender winced, especially when he felt her straighten in his arms. He knew that look in her eyes, that stiffness to her posture, and he had a brief moment of pity for Aang until he remembered that the boy brought it on himself. Sure enough, she stepped out of his embrace towards the younger bender and Zuko let her go, knowing better than to even try to hold her back.

"How. Dare. You." Her voice was a hiss, low and vicious, and Zuko watched as Aang's eyes widened in the realization that he had just pissed off one of the most powerful people in the entire world. The boy held his ground as she stalked forward until she was staring directly into his eyes, and he swallowed hard when she started to speak again. "How dare you even _think_ you can pass judgment on my life? I am marrying Zuko because I love him. Because helping the world, my hospitals and my village and all of the things in this life that matter to me, none of them come even _close_ to being as important to me as he is. Because when I look down the long years of my life stretching out ahead of me, the only person I could ever want by my side is Zuko. He knows who I am – every flaw, every problem, every annoying quirk - and he loves me anyway, and I don't deserve his love, but I swear to all that there is I will spend my life trying to earn it. So you take your holier-than-thou attitude, your preemptive decisions, your I'm-the-Avatar bullshit, and you get out of my sight. Until you can respect me as a person in my own right and not just as your convenient appendage, I have nothing to say to you."

"But, Katara...I love you! That's supposed to be enough!"

"If this is how you show your love, then no, it's not enough. Get out of here, Aang. I don't want to hurt you any more."

From his vantage point a few paces away Zuko could see her trembling, and the anger he felt towards Aang for pushing her to such a point – especially tonight, of all nights – had him swallowing hard in an attempt to control his own temper. He knew he would eventually feel really bad for Aang, but right now he had to agree with the woman he loved. The boy needed to go, or the friendship they shared would shatter beyond anything any of them could ever do to repair it. In what was probably the smartest decision he'd made all night, Aang backed down.

"I...Katara...I'm sorry. I didn't want to make you mad. I'll just...go, then." Edging around the shaking waterbender, he spared one last glare for Zuko and stepped back through the door, closing it behind him. Zuko walked forward slowly until he could put a careful hand on Katara's shoulder.

"'Tara?" he whispered. After a moment she turned around and he could see how hard she was holding herself together. With a groan he dragged her into his embrace, burying his face in her hair even as she clung to him.

"It's okay, 'Tara. Just let it go. I'm here, it's okay." Soothing murmurs sounded soft in the night air, and the woman in his arms began to cry quietly.

"I didn't...want to say...to hurt him...but I...I just, I couldn't..." Her words were muffled against his chest as he stroked her hair, whispering comfort and love into the chocolate strands.

"It'll be okay. I promise, somehow it'll be okay." Feeling her sobbing, he made a personal vow. One way or another, he would see to it that things worked out. How he would manage that task he didn't have any clue, but he would make it happen.


	14. Chapter 14

Author's note: I apologize for the lack of updates. This is the final push for Phoenix Comic Con - which is in three days. So having time to write and get things typed up has been a bit tricky. Still, I have not forgotten about you all!

* * *

She stretched and yawned, feeling the slight burn from muscles unaccustomed to all of the activity of the night before. After Aang's somewhat quiet departure Zuko talked her into rejoining their friends in the hall, where the girls took it upon themselves to drag her back out to the dance floor. To her shock her brother and Zuko wandered out after a while, and between the music and the friendship and the blazing light in Zuko's eyes whenever they touched she was able to move most of her sorrow and anger to the back of her mind and actually enjoy the party a bit more than she'd thought she would. Towards the end of the night during a slower song she noticed Toph slip away, but didn't think anything of it. She figured it wouldn't be the younger girl's cup of tea anyway. As she stood curled in her fiance's arms while they moved to the rhythm the musicians set forth, she allowed herself a small sigh of contentment.

"Katara?" he questioned gently. She looked up, meeting his eyes and seeing the love in them that she now realized had been there for much longer than she'd noticed before. Her fingers brushed his cheek and she smiled slowly, softly.

"Nothing, really. Just thinking that I never really imagined myself here. With you."

"I imagined it. I just never thought I could ever really be so lucky."

She tucked her head back against his chest and felt his arms around her, two warm bands of strength and support. It had been a good last dance, a wonderful way to end the night. He'd walked her to her door and kissed her gently, shooing her inside with a whisper of love and a promise to see her the next day. And now that she was awake, sipping a cup of tea that had obviously been left for her by one servant or another, she was eager to dress and meet her friends for breakfast. She had so much to do, so many things to take care of. It made her a bit sad to know that she and Zuko would be off on their own tasks for the day, but she knew that they would see each other at least at breakfast and dinner.

_First official day as the Fire Consort and I'm lamenting the fact that I have responsibilities._ She chuckled at her own thought and began to prepare for the day ahead.

* * *

"I have to say, Katara, your interpretation of the betrothal dance was impressive. Your grandmother is going to be so sorry she missed it." Hakoda was smiling as his daughter walked into the room and laughed as she blinked, a bit of a sheepish look on her face. Across the table from him, Zuko paused in the act of spreading marmalade on a piece of toast and looked up. The young man's smile on seeing her walking towards them put the Water Tribe chief's mind at ease far more than anything else could have.

"Katara," he murmured, standing up and pulling out the chair next to him. She ignored the chair completely in favor of leaning into her future husband's arms and kissing him.

"Jeez, Katara, do you have to do that in public?" Sokka mumbled playfully around a mouthful of food. Suki just shook her head. Katara fixed her brother with a wry look.

"If we've all had to put up with you and Suki, then by Tui you can just deal." Her grin was impish, and Suki laughed, leaning her head on Sokka's shoulder.

"She does have a point, partner mine. Besides, she and Zuko are officially betrothed now, making their actions perfectly understandable. What excuse do we have?" The entire table began to laugh as the fearless boomerang warrior choked and sputtered, turning to his girlfriend with wide eyes. Seemingly unable to find a suitable answer, Sokka just slumped down in his seat and returned to the meal at hand, all the while shooting the Kyoshi hesitant looks.

In his seat, a smile on his face, Hakoda felt an overwhelming happiness for his children. He'd been scared for them when he left, wondering what kind of life they would have. He figured it was a father thing. To see them now, grown up, setting their own paths, making their ways through a world they helped to save...he hadn't known it was possible to be so proud. It was a bittersweet pride, a quiet joy. He'd missed so much of their childhoods. But he couldn't be more pleased with the people they'd become.

As the four talked, his thoughts branched out to include the other two at the table – both of whom were family, by affection if not by law yet. Suki was a perfect foil for Sokka's impulsiveness, a delightful and completely spunky young woman. He couldn't have picked out a better mate for his son if he had tried. Zuko...well, he had to admit that never in a billion years had he ever anticipated that a Fire Nation man could be a friend to any Water Tribe member. The thought that the Fire Lord himself was going to become his son-in-law was a bit overwhelming at times. And yet, firebender or not, seeing the way Zuko was with Katara, the way she was with him...it reminded Hakoda of his own love, his beautiful Kya. Stolen from him, from the life they had together, she lived on in their children. In Katara's stubbornness, her compassion, her caring. In Sokka's protectiveness, his quick mind – regardless of how easy it was to underestimate his son, the boy was ridiculously intelligent when he chose to use his brain.

If his and Kya's children could find even a fraction of the happiness he'd known with her, they would be blessed beyond belief. He looked from one to another of his four breakfast companions. The camaraderie, the love, the closeness was unmistakeable, and unbreakable. He finished his meal and stood up with a smile, deciding that it was time to leave them to themselves without the dreaded 'parental presence.' Inwardly he chuckled at that.

"Well, I have a long day ahead of me, so I'd best get started." He leaned over to hug first Katara, then Zuko – feeling the boy's obvious uncertainty and wanting nothing more than to go see Ozai and beat him to a pulp, not for what he did to the world but for what he did to his only son – before walking around the table and hugging Sokka and Suki as well. "You all stay out of trouble," he admonished with a stern voice and an amused smile as he turned and exited the room, mentally cataloging his own duties for the day.

* * *

"What did he mean, 'your interpretation'?" Zuko asked curiously after Hakoda had taken his leave. Katara seemed to suddenly think that the answers to all the worlds dilemmas were to be found in her fruit bowl, while Sokka burst out laughing and Suki snickered. When it was apparent she wasn't going to answer, he reached over and placed a finger underneath her chin, turning her face to his. "Katara..?"

"I...well..." She sighed heavily and blinked, and he was amazed to see traces of pink on her cheeks.

"Go on, Sis. Tell the Fire Lord how you made your own version of a dance of seduction, ignoring hundreds of years of tradition." Sokka was gleeful, enjoying her flustered mien. Zuko's eyebrows arched, and his beloved gave in reluctantly.

"Okay, so I changed the dance. Okay, Sokka? It's not like anyone but you and our people would know anyway," she grumbled. Her brother was snickering, and Zuko realized if he was to get any answers he was likely going to have to drag them out of her.

"How did you change it?" he queried. Her answer was just to blush deeper. It was Suki that answered, a grin lighting her features.

"If I'm not mistaken, the first thing was that in the traditional dance, she wasn't actually supposed to touch you."

"Really?" he asked, shocked. Katara had closed her eyes, lashes fluttering down over blue eyes filled with embarrassment.

"Really," Sokka chimed in, bursting with glee at the discomfiture of his sibling. "Also, those were not the dance steps to the betrothal dance."

"They weren't?" Zuko's eyes grew wide, his response given to Sokka while his gaze remained on Katara's face.

"La, no," Sokka said with a laugh. "I know our tribe had never seen anything like that. Most of the warriors were struck totally silent, and I know that our dad had a messenger hawk off to Gran-Gran practically the minute the dance was over."

"Sokka," the flustered waterbender growled. He just laughed.

"Come on, Katara. Do you really think you'd be able to pull a stunt like that and not have news of it reach the village? And then the fog, and the music...it was a hell of a show, I've gotta admit. Though I could have lived my entire life without ever seeing my sister act like that..." he trailed off with a grumble as he returned to the task of cleaning off his plate, his own discomfort finally beginning to carry a weight equal to that of his enjoyment of Katara's embarrassment.

"Katara...why did you change things?" Zuko asked, his voice as gentle on her ears as his fingers were where they still rested on her chin. After a long moment she looked up at him and he saw the world in her eyes.

"Because I wanted to," she whispered. He felt his pulse leap into the stratosphere at the honesty and the desire in her voice. For a long moment they simply sat, quietly regarding one another. In the silence Suki noticed that Sokka had finished his second helping of breakfast and tugged his arm gently.

"Come on, Sokka. Didn't you say you wanted to help your dad with the plans for retrofitting the Fire Nation's ships, for that agricultural trip to the Earth Kingdom?"

"But I wasn't -" he began, only to have Suki cut him off with a quick kiss and a nod to the two at the other side of the table, still locked in their own little world.

"Come on, darling. After all they've been through, let's let them have a bit of time to themselves before they have to start being all responsible and Lord-and-Ladylike and stuff." With a huff of reluctant agreement, Sokka allowed his girlfriend to lead him from the breakfast hall – though he did snatch a handful of eel nuggets on the way.

On the other side of the table, the rulers of the Fire Nation didn't even realize their breakfast guests had departed.

* * *

Zuko's hand, still carefully cupping Katara's chin, shifted until he could run his thumb in a soft caress over her bottom lip. Eyes never leaving his, she pressed a soft kiss to the digit as it stroked over her skin. Unable to help himself even if he had wanted to, he leaned forward slowly, never breaking eye contact. His lips brushed hers as he spoke.

"Agni, am I really here, or is this just another dream?"

"Another?" she asked, a smile in her eyes, before meeting him for a quick, soft kiss. "So do you dream about me often, oh great Fire Lord?" This time it was his turn to look a bit abashed.

"I...well, that is..." He sighed and nodded, conceding defeat gratefully. "Very often."

"Tell me?" she whispered. His eyes shot open and he regarded her with a look that was two parts shock to one part panic.

"What?" he managed to ask, sure he didn't just hear her say what it certainly sounded like she had just said.

"Tell me about your dreams, Zuzu..." she murmured, her voice low and quiet and sending shivers straight up his spine. Her eyes were locked onto his and he swallowed hard.

"Why...why do you want to know?" he managed to sputter, totally at a loss as to how to proceed. Her smile was slow, sweet, and as sinful as dark chocolate and red wine.

"Because I want to see if they were anything like the dreams I had about you."

"Dear gods," he muttered, and she chuckled and leaned forward to kiss him again before resting her head on his shoulder.

"You're so much fun to play with," she said quietly, happily. "Is it wrong that I wish we had a full day to ourselves?"

"Not at all," he responded, wrapping around her shoulders. And that was how the messenger found them a short time later. The man stood at the entrance to the dining room, unsure whether or not to interrupt the comfortable moment. Katara saw him first.

"Yes?" she asked, not moving from her place against Zuko's chest.

"My Lord, My Lady..." the messenger said hesitantly. Zuko nodded and he stepped into the room, walking up to the table. "This has just arrived for the Lady Consort." He proffered a rolled piece of parchment, sealed with the official seal of the Palace Warden. Katara sat up and took the scroll, nodding her thanks and unrolling it once the messenger had left.

"Warden Jeou has found the Traitor's Cage." She sounded both happy and reserved. Zuko inhaled sharply.

"Does it say anything else?" he asked. Normally as Fire Lord his first instinct was simply to take the parchment from her, but if she was to be his equal in ruling his country and his people then he knew he had to allow her freedom to make choices without his input. However, it seemed it wasn't a necessary reminder as she simply handed the parchment to him anyway, sitting up to dip out food while he took a few seconds to read it.

_Fire Consort Master Katara:_

_ I have located the Traitor's Cage. It is placed deep underneath the palace, in an abandoned series of tunnels that are structurally stable but very much in a state of disrepair. The room itself looks to have been mistreated, and will likely take a fair amount of work to be fully repaired, but as the integrity of the walls and support structures is sound I believe it to be a realistic task. If you would like I can escort my Lord, you yourself, or anyone you designate to inspect the damages and pass judgment on its suitability. I await your answer at your convenience._

_ Your humble servant,_

_ Jeou Kisano_

_ Palace Warden_

"Should we both go?" Zuko asked. "I'll have a break after my meeting with the Public Works advisor this morning." Katara finished chewing her rice before answering.

"I think I should go and see this as soon as possible. I'd like to take Sokka and Toph as well. If I think it's important, you and I can go after your meeting. I'd also like to talk to Uncle today, see if he might be able to pin down the ingredients for that tea. I asked Dad to send messages to both the Northern and our own tribe to get an ingredient list for our calming teas as well."

"Sounds like a good plan," he said with a smile, brushing his fingers down a lock of hair that was cascading over her shoulder. "You truly are the perfect woman."

"And don't you forget it, mister," she teased, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

The rest of the breakfast was spent discussing the schedule for the day, but despite the importance of what their mouths were saying, the true conversation was happening with every glance, every touch.

* * *

"Toph?" Katara had searched for over half an hour, and if it hadn't been for a servant that had seen the master earthbender heading down the west hallway she never would have thought to check the upper towers. Sure enough, the girl was sitting out on a balcony looking out over a city she couldn't see. She hadn't turned at Katara's approach, though the waterbender knew she would have felt it through the stone floor. But when the Water Tribe girl spoke, Toph turned around. To anyone that didn't know her, the Bei Fong heiress would have looked positively relaxed, a small smile gracing her lips. Katara knew better.

"What's wrong, Toph?"

"What makes you think anything's wrong?" Toph said with a snort. Katara raised an eyebrow reflexively though she knew her companion couldn't see it.

"Toph..." she said softly. Finally, after a long moment of quiet, the Blind Bandit let a small sigh escape her.

"Twinkletoes left."

"Aang left?" Katara asked. She wasn't surprised, but she couldn't help but feel guilty. "When?"

"Before sunrise."

"Did he say why?" Cloudy eyes regarded Katara with an expression that was pure sarcasm.

"You have to ask why." It wasn't a question, and Katara sighed.

"No. No, I don't. Did he...say anything?"

"I didn't talk to Twinkles. I went out to see Appa and he wasn't there."

"You went out to see Appa." This time it was Katara's voice that was flat with lack of query.

"What? I missed the big smelly guy." Toph turned away and went back to sightlessly gazing over the Fire Nation capitol. Katara stepped up next to her, leaning her elbows on the railing.

"I never wanted to hurt him," she murmured almost to herself. "I just..."

"He wasn't the one for you. Don't be ashamed of that, Sweetness. Ever since Sparky joined up with us it was obvious that you two belonged together." Toph's voice was casual, but her words startled the waterbender.

"When Zuko joined...but I hated him!"

"No. You didn't. You wanted to, but you didn't, and you hated that you didn't." The shorter girl's tone brooked no argument, and Katara sighed heavily.

"I guess...well, I guess you're right. I just – as much as I wanted to hate him, Zuko was...well..."

"Himself. Thoroughly tactless, utterly annoying. Superior attitude, no social skills. Kind of a pain in the ass. Did I hit all the salient points?" Toph laughed. Katara couldn't help but smile.

"He was all that. But there was...more to him. He didn't even know it. I don't think he really knows it yet. He's going to be an amazing Fire Lord."

"And _that_ is why Twinkletoes never stood a chance."

"What?" The blue-eyed girl was confused and Toph sighed again, this time patiently.

"You mothered us. All of us. You coaxed and you cajoled and you bullied and you made sure we were safe and fed and had clean clothes...you know, mother-type-stuff. But it was never really like that with Sparky. Almost from the beginning you treated him like...almost like an equal. Even when you didn't trust him, you still respected him – though you probably would have eaten glass before admitting it. And when you did begin to trust him you never tried to mother him. Not like you did the rest of us. You believed in him, more than he did himself. More than he still does.

"You never would have fallen in love with Twinkles because you'd already given your heart to Zuko, and you never even knew it."

There was silence on the balcony as Katara digested what she'd just heard and Toph cocooned herself in her own thoughts. Finally the waterbender spoke.

"You know what I think we need?" she asked. Toph turned in her general direction. "A distraction. And it so happens that I have one, ready-made for the curious and inquisitive."

A few moments of explaining her thoughts on rehabilitating Azula (and a few moments of the earthbender's ranting - "Sweetness, have you lost your _mind?_ That snotty Fire witch tried to _kill_ you with_ lightning!_") and Katara was finally able to get to the reason she'd sought out Toph in the first place.

"...so I plan to go inspect this Traitor's Cage. I'd like you to come along – it's underground, and I'm betting over years of neglect there's a lot of things an earthbender would be quite handy for." She said this with a playful nudge, which made the other girl retaliate with a shoulder punch that was not quite as hard as her usual affectionate thumps.

"Besides," she continued, "it'll be a great distraction for you. To keep your mind off of the fact that Aang left again without saying goodbye."

"Why would I care about that?" Toph asked with a snort. Katara smiled, glad for once that her friend couldn't see the expression in her eyes.

"I'm not the only one that has a long history of not admitting things to myself." With that, Katara turned and headed back inside. "Meet me in my room in a half an hour. I've got to go find Sokka. I'm dragging him along too."

Standing on the balcony, feeling the waterbender walk out, Toph took a deep breath and tried to convince herself that she didn't know exactly what the older girl was talking about.


	15. Chapter 15

Even with the torchlight the tunnels were dark, almost foreboding. The air was stale, and a bit damp. Katara followed the warden, watching her footing to make sure she didn't stumble over chunks of debris. Beside her, Sokka was doing the same thing, grumbling about it under his breath is true Sokka fashion. Toph, on the other hand, seemed almost joyful.

"Sugar Queen, do you see these walls? The way they're smoothed and shaped?" Her voice was low, but it carried in the hollow underground hallways.

"What about it?" Katara asked, curious as to what had her friend so excited.

"These were originally made by earthbenders! And they're old. Very old."

"Are you sure?" the waterbender asked. Toph nodded, one hand rubbing along the stones they passed as the continued deeper into the bowels of the palace sublevels.

"Absolutely."

"Master Toph is correct, My Lady Consort." The warden was stepping carefully around a pile of rubble that looked like it had fallen from the ceiling above. "Much of the original construction of the Fire Nation was completed in the days before Sozin's War, back when all the different peoples worked in harmony together. And these tunnels and rooms are among the oldest structures in the entire nation." He turned an appraising look on the shorter girl. Though she couldn't see it, she could feel his regard and she smiled.

"It's good work. I'm not sensing any weakness in the overall stability. This will be a cinch to patch up."

"Here we are," the older man announced. They were at the end of a tunnel, standing in front of a very large, very metal door. From a pocket in his trousers he fished out an extremely old key, the metal worn and pitted. Seeing the curiosity on the faces of his Water Tribe guests, he explained.

"The Traitor's Cage hasn't been truly used in more than a generation. I found the key many years ago while going through my late father's belongings, and I remembered that he'd told me what it was for, but until Your Ladyship brought up a need for this place I'd never given it a second thought." While talking he'd carefully inserted the key in the lock, having to exert a lot of force in order to get it to turn even slightly. A grunt escaped him as he attempted to find a grip that wouldn't pulverize the old key but would still give him proper leverage.

"If I may?" Toph interjected politely. With a nod Warden Jeou stepped back and the earthbender stepped up to the door. With one hand she held the key steady, placing the other around the base of the key at the door plate protecting the lock itself. A short moment later there was a faint click and she smiled triumphantly.

"There. That should make it easier in the future too." She pushed the door open and stepped back, letting Katara and the warden enter first.

It was a large room, bare of furnishings. Bare of anything, really. Even the expected time-lapse damage that they'd seen in the hallways didn't seem to enter this cavernous room. Upon stepping in, Katara felt immediately weak, like something was missing. She dropped to her knees. Her gasp had everyone looking at her in alarm.

"Katara, are you okay? What's wrong?" Sokka was worried, almost frantic, kneeling beside her.

"I...I'm fine, Sokka. But this room is...I can't explain it. It's like I can't feel my bending anymore." She looked up at the earthbender who was still hovering on the outside of the doorway. "Toph?"

"What?"

"Come in here, see if it affects you the same way." Katara's voice, though quiet, brooked no argument, and with shuffling steps Toph joined her friends.

"Earth spirits, what the hell is this place?" she hissed, leaping back beyond the threshold and breathing a deep sigh of relief once she escaped the room. "Yeah, this place is shielded, all right. I couldn't even touch the metal in the walls. This is one nasty room, Sweetness." By this point Katara had regained her footing, forcing herself to become accustomed to the lack of contact with her element, pushing down the instinctive panic with copious amounts of logic and responsibility. She began to make a slow circuit around the room. The men, non-benders that they were, were experiencing no ill effects whatsoever.

"I think this will do perfectly for what we need," Katara declared after a few moments. "Sokka, take note of the room's dimensions. I'd like to set this up as an actual apartment, not like a forgotten dungeon cell."

"But that's kind of what it is," he interjected. She just rolled her eyes.

"I know that. But we're trying to help save Azula. It would be a good idea to make her comfortable, don't you think?"

"I think you're an idiot for trying to bring the crazy fire twit back to begin with."

"Just shut up and do what I tell you, Sokka," she snapped at him. Her discomfort at being unable to bend was making her a bit twitchy. Sokka was smart enough to not push the issue further, instead unrolling his parchment and pulling out a quill from his pouch. Soon the sound of her soft footfalls was joined by the scratching sound of quill on parchment as her brother explored the room and made notes.

"Toph – I know we can't bend in here. But I'd like it if you could bend some furniture, little things out of rock or metal. I can find someone to carry the items in, some non-benders. We'll need a crew to get this set up, and it'll have to be people with no bending ability."

"I agree with Snoozles. You're nuts." The earthbender sighed. "But if you're determined, I suppose I'll help."

"Thank you, Toph." Katara had made several full circuits of the room, and found that the longer she stayed inside its shield the easier it was to deal with. The concept made her both happy and quite uncomfortable. But it would definitely make it easier for Azula to accept if the stark intensity of having her bending suppressed were to fade over time.

"Warden Jeou?"

"Yes, Lady Consort?"

"It will likely take us several weeks to get the tunnels and the room set to our needs. In that time, I'd like to ask you to assemble a group of men you can trust implicitly to assist in guarding the Fire Princess once we bring her here. Bending, as you can see, is not a requirement for the guards – in fact, it might be detrimental. As she won't be able to bend, I see no need to subject any guards to discomfort. I believe a group of ten would be sufficient. I'll leave the schedules and rotations up to you. But I want to make sure that these are men who have no great animosity towards Her Highness. Neither do I feel confident in trusting any who might be sympathetic to her cause. Until we see if we can assist Princess Azula in becoming a trusted member of the Fire Nation once more, I would be hesitant to accept anyone as a guard who might see her as the rightful ruler."

"I understand. It will be done as you ask." He bowed deeply, respectfully, and for the first time Katara began to think that maybe, just maybe, she might be able to pull this off. She turned to her brother.

"Sokka, you finished?"

"Yep," he said, making a few final marks on the parchment before blowing on it gently to dry the ink. Rolling it up, he placed it and his quill back into his pack. Katara preceded the men out of the room, and her heartfelt sigh of relief on connecting with her element again was noticed by all.

"Sozin must have had some seriously skilled people working on that room," Toph mused, falling into step beside the Water Tribe girl, the men bringing up the rear.

"I believe construction of the Traitor's Cage took nearly ten years," the warden offered hesitantly. "He'd had a select group of people working on it in secret before he even took the throne. But I've no idea how it was actually created it. Sozin had the construction crew executed once it was completed, and he took the secret of its creation to the grave."

"That's a shame," Sokka said idly, his mind still flickering over figures and thoughts. "If we knew how it was made, maybe we'd be able to make some, I dunno, jewelery or something. Some wearable item with the same properties, so that if you wanted to take Azula for a walk or whatever you could still be sure that she wouldn't be able to bend."

"That would be incredibly useful," Katara agreed. "But in the absence of a portable Cage, I do have other ideas." They had reached the main part of the underground caverns, the warden turning to lock the barred gate behind them before they continued their trek upwards towards the sunlight at the end of the tunnel.

"What ideas?" Toph inquired.

"Oh, just something I have to talk to Uncle about. In fact, I should probably do that once we get back up top." They had reached the entrance to the tunnels, and Katara turned and smiled at the Warden. "Thank you so much, Warden Jeou. You have been more than helpful. The Fire Nation is honored to have such a reliable, responsible man in its employ."

"It is my honor to work for the Fire Nation, Lady Consort," Jeou said, seeming almost embarrassed by her praise.

"Nonetheless, I thank you wholeheartedly. I will keep you updated as to the work on the tunnels and the room. And I trust that you will find a suitable guard regiment for the Fire Princess."

"It shall be done, My Lady." He bowed deeply.

"Thank you again. We will keep in touch." Her voice was kind, but he recognized the dismissal in it and with a final bow for her as well as smaller ones for her brother and Toph he walked away to return to his duties.

"Well, Sweetness, I've gotta hand it to you. You're fitting in great with the whole royal attitude." The earthbender's voice held honest praise and equally sincere amusement.

"I'm trying," Katara replied with a sigh. "It's so hard to remember that I'm supposed to be above these people. I mean, I'm just doing a job, just like they are. It's...weird."

"You're doing great, Katara," Sokka said sincerely. "As long as you don't get all stuffy and pompous, that is." She snorted and elbowed her brother in the side as the three of them began to head down the long hallway to the palace proper, discussing ideas and making plans.

* * *

"Are you seriously telling me that the only reason the canals have not been completed is because your workers don't want to use plans that have been drawn up by the Earth Kingdom?" Zuko's anger was palpable, but he was holding his temper quite admirably, he felt. The Public Works committee, a gathering of nine men and women from various levels of nobility, was easily the most diverse group that existed in the hierarchy of the Fire Nation. As such, Zuko had thought he would have an easier time of dealing with them, since they were less likely to be set in their ways. However, the headache that was blooming behind his eyes gave lie to that hope.

"Not exactly," hedged the man who had just given his report.

"Then explain it to me." The Fire Lord's voice brooked no argument.

"Well, it's just...I mean, you see...well, they feel that some of our own engineers should have been given the chance to put forth plans."

"They were given a chance. _Three months of chances_. Was I supposed to wait on their convenience to drain the lower levels of the city and give our people back their homes? We have several hundred Fire Nation citizens in temporary housing right now because the entire lower west quadrant was flooded. I asked for the assistance of anyone who was able to help in the recovery and rebuilding. And in all this time the only people who have come forward to help are the very people who used to hate us. Who still to a large degree distrust us. The Earth Kingdom has been more than generous in giving us their designs and suggestions, while our own people have stood by and done NOTHING. This is not acceptable. These people are suffering enough hardship without us as a nation causing them more by wasting time with pointless arguments."

If Zuko had been able to see what the committee members saw, he would have been shocked. For the first time he was speaking not as a youth still learning to be a ruler, but as a competent man making the best choices he could to ensure the security and comfort of his people. It was a new experience not just for him, but for them as well. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather before him had hardly been paragons of social acceptance, much more likely to delegate such trivial things as the well-being of their people to other members of the palace ruling groups. None of his followers were quite sure what to make of the man who now held the throne, who seemed to not only tolerate but to actually care about those under him. It was unusual. And it confused them.

"I...I understand," the man replied softly, unsure how to cope with a caring Fire Lord. "I will personally make sure that your orders are carried out. You are right – our people should not suffer because of the unfortunate prejudices of their own kinsmen."

"Thank you, Lord Kinsei," Zuko said with a soft sigh. He saw them all looking at him with new regard in their eyes, but was unsure exactly why. Still, it was best to begin as one planned to continue. Drawing on some of the diplomatic concepts he'd seen Katara employ to such successful degrees as of late, he leaned back in his chair and pitched his voice to a normal conversational level.

"I understand that things are strange right now. Far more strange than any of us has ever had to deal with. But I don't want to see this nation – our nation – lost to the vagaries of war, of hatred and fear. Fire Lord Sozin began the systematic destruction of everything that made the Fire Nation wonderful in the guise of preaching our natural superiority to the rest of the world. Fire Lord Azulon followed in his father's footsteps, and Fire Lord Ozai in the steps of the two that had come before. There are times I am sad to say that I am descended from these men. They have disgraced my family line; they have disgraced our nation. And I know that as one person I cannot right all of their wrongs. But I can try. I don't want to see my people living under the shadows of fear and oppression that is all that they have known for so very long. I want to show them what I have been shown, what other lands and other people have taught me. That there is good to be found everywhere. That just because someone places you on a path does not mean you must walk it if you find it to be the wrong one.

"We have so much history, so much potential. So much that was almost squandered in the quest for domination. I hope to recover that which we have lost. But I cannot do it alone. I need the help of people I can trust. My advisors, my committees, my councils. Without all of you, I am one man on a big chair trying to fix a nation with no more than my bare hands. Its not enough. I need to know that I can count on the support of others to help me. So can I?"

Dead silence reigned in the council room. The committee members looked awed, completely floored that their ruler, he who was so much above them, was speaking to them not as underlings but as people, people with thoughts and ideas and hopes. One by one they nodded, the first stirrings of trust in this young man beginning to grow.

"You have my loyalty," Lord Kinsei said, slight wonder in his eyes.

"And mine, My Lord."

"Mine as well."

"I will stand with you, Lord Zuko."

It went as such, each of the men and women at the table vowing to place their trust in their young ruler. He had to swallow hard to keep his sigh of relief from escaping. He wasn't sure he managed to entirely conceal his wonder at winning them over, but decided that it didn't matter if he did or not. Let them see that he was grateful for each and every one of them, because he was. Every person willing to work with him towards the rebuilding of his country was an ally he thanked Agni for.

"I sincerely appreciate you all. And I apologize for my temper earlier." He was a bit surprised to find that statement to be true. "So, can I count on you to get those canals built? To give our kindred their homes and their lives back?" He was met with nothing but affirmative answers and decisive nods. "Very well. Then this meeting is concluded. I thank you once more, and wish you well in your endeavors." Zuko stood as they did, and they each bowed as they left. With a sigh he could now give reign to, he slumped back down in his seat.

He thought about Katara. About all of the things she'd been teaching him by example. About interacting with others, about kindness and fairness. He would be the first to admit that he had a hard time dealing with people. When he was a child, he always knew that it was his sister who was their father's favorite, that it was likely Azula who would be groomed to take the throne. He was never good enough for his father, and he wasted so long trying to be that it blinded him to the kind of man his sire truly was. And then he was banished, and spent so much time wrapped up in his own turmoil, his own needs and determination, that it had never crossed his mind that he could have taken the opportunity to learn about, to speak with others. His all-consuming passion for finding the Avatar and regaining his honor burned any other considerations from his mind. He thought back to Iroh, how his uncle had tried again and again without success to get him to open his heart, to see the other people in the world. People with hopes and dreams and opinions and worth. But none of it mattered, none of it stuck. And then he joined the very boy he'd sworn to capture, and he saw a side of life, a world dynamic that he had never even known existed.

It wasn't just Katara, he realized, though she was and remained the biggest influence. Seeing them all, how they treated each other, how they cared about strangers...how they accepted him, even though he was what he was – he realized that even then, at their earliest non-hostile interactions, he was learning. He may never have admitted it then, but now it was impossible for him to deny. He had been so starved for human interaction that wasn't centered around making him feel inferior that he'd been willing to let some of his long-taught values slip a little. For the first time he had found himself among people who, even if they didn't quite trust him, didn't quite like him, were still willing to give him a chance to prove himself. And he found through their acceptance that he wasn't the person he thought he was.

Today had been an eye-opener for him. In making the decision to speak with his committee as people instead of titles, he learned something about himself. He had the ability to inspire trust without pushing for it. It would take a lot of effort to hone that skill, but it filled him with warmth knowing that, hopefully, he could manage to be a ruler that wasn't feared, but rather respected. That didn't demand obeisance, but instead inspired hope.

He knew he had a long way to go, a long journey ahead of him. But he felt that, just maybe, he was stepping down the right path this time.

* * *

Author's note: I know it has been a while. Phoenix Con was amazing in so many ways, not the least of which because of a few events that acted like a catalyst for my brain, for my very psyche. It's taken me a bit of time to sort my thoughts and regain some semblance of order. I feel much better for it, but it was necessary to put my stories on hold because I was really not in any state to work on them. My muses were taking a slight vacation while I sorted a few things out. It was such an amazing experience - in so many ways, this was our best con yet. I was reeling for almost a week. So much incredibleness (yes, I have made that a word now). But I'm back, and I'm me - though a slightly different me than I was before. I think it's a good start. At any rate, I just wanted to apologize for my absence and reassure you all that I'm not going to leave you hanging. :-D

Also, I got to meet and hang out with Vic Mignogna not once, but twice.

I'm still all a-squee. That man is amazing. Thoroughly, absolutely awesome. I can't even begin to stress it enough. Such a wonderful person - talented and warm and genuinely an all-around good guy. And he gives incredible hugs. I feel blessed that I got the chance to chill and talk with him. We're working on getting him invited to Tucson Con. Here's hoping. :)


	16. Chapter 16

She found him sitting peacefully in a courtyard off of the guest wing, ever-present tea set on a low table in front of him, cup in hand.

"Uncle!" she said cheerfully as she bent down to give him a hug, which the older man happily returned.

"Katara! What brings you outside on this lovely day? Would you care for a cup of tea? It's an oolong spice blend that a friend of mine picked up in his travels. Very good for raising your energy levels."

"That sounds wonderful, actually," she said, dropping to the ground before him and reaching out to take the cup he'd just poured for her. After she had taken a few sips and sighed in blissful appreciation, he spoke again.

"So what brings you out on this lovely morning to speak with me?" he asked jovially. She grinned.

"I have to have a reason, Uncle?" she responded archly. He just laughed.

"It's a beautiful day with wonderful weather. You are now officially betrothed to my nephew. Yet you are not at meetings, or visiting with your family or friends. Nor have you two decided to take a day to yourself. Which leads me to believe you have a specific reason for visiting, and as I doubt you knew about my wonderful new tea I would have to assume that something else of import has brought you here."

"Nothing gets past you, does it?" she said with a chuckle. He just smiled kindly. "Very well. You're right. We have...well, I have an idea but I'm not certain how to go about it, and I thought you might have some knowledge or advice."

"Tell me, my dear."

"I would assume Zuko has mentioned his plans and hopes for his sister?"

"Not really," Iroh said with a curious gaze. "We haven't spoken of much more than politics and your betrothal lately."

"Oh, okay then, let me start at the beginning." Katara took another sip of tea, draining her cup, and as she explained he refilled it for her.

"It's a bit of a long story, but the basic gist is that Zuko wants to save his sister, to bring her back. To preserve his family. We've got some ideas on how to manage this. I'm assuming you would be familiar with the Traitor's Cage?" She saw his eyes widen in shock before filling with understanding.

"A brilliant idea, I must say. She will be completely unable to damage herself or anyone else with her bending if placed there." His expression became serious. "Have you thought of what to do beyond sequestering her, however?"

"We have," Katara nodded. "That's why I needed to talk to you. You see, the Water Tribes have a tea that we make to soothe people who are in need of relaxation. It's very simple, but the herbs used promote a general lethargy that helps the person relax. We find it useful especially in times of family tragedy or other large negative events, where someone may have a problem coping. It isn't habit forming or anything, but it is very useful in helping to even out a person's emotional levels.

"Doctor Tamboor has a vague recollection of a similar drink used in the Fire Nation, but says that he believes it had fallen out of use because it may have been limiting peoples' bending ability. Have you heard of anything like this?"

The older man sat quietly for a moment, gazing at the table without really looking at it, sipping his tea thoughtfully.

"I believe I do remember something of the sort. Understand, I was a much younger man then, and not as concerned with the wonderful things of the world, being focused as I was on more militant matters."

"Anything at all that you can remember would be helpful. If this drink has the potential to keep Azula calm enough for people to speak with her without having to fear for loss of life or limb, it will make it so much easier to try and bring her back. As it is, Zuko has sent an invitation for Ty Lee to visit the palace indefinitely, both as a familiar face and as one who has the ability to chi block the Fire Princess if needed. I hope sincerely that it won't come to that."

Iroh looked at the young woman before him, his future niece. Her sincerity, her desire to help, to make everything better, glimmered in her eyes like diamond dust in the sunlight.

"I must say I am impressed, my dear. Most people would never think of offering aide to one who was thoroughly determined to harm them in the past." His voice was kind, gentle, and Katara shrugged in response.

"I'll admit she's not my favorite person. But I can't...I just can't imagine giving up on Sokka if something were to happen to him. And Zuko wants so much to help her, to save her. She's his sister. Despite everything else, Azula is his sister. And as his friend and a healer, I can't just let her slip into madness or death. Not if I can help in some small way to prevent it." Her answer seemed to please him if his smile and sigh was any indication.

"I am so glad that the two of you have finally admitted your feelings for one another. Individually, you are strong. But together, you are spectacular. It is rather awe-inspiring. Plus," he added with a wink, "now we don't all have to deal with his moping around and being silently grumpy because he was too afraid to take a chance with you." She blushed lightly and he just laughed before turning solemn once more.

"The drink you are talking of was, I believe, called ochitsuka. It was primarily a tea, but the ingredients infused during brewing gave it very soporific properties. The more you added, the more it affected the drinker. Most people only used it as a sleeping aide, but there were those who had developed a variation that could effectively prevent a person from bending."

"Do you remember any of the ingredients?" Katara asked, excitement burbling beneath her calm voice.

"Not offhand. I can, however, make some inquiries. I am acquainted with several apothecaries and herb dealers that may be able to assist us further."

"Oh, would you? That would be wonderful. Toph has agreed to clear up the tunnel leading to the Traitor's Cage – you know, I really want to change the name of that place. It sounds so negative. And if we're going to be trying to bring Azula back to normalcy, I don't want a lot of negative feelings nearby." She seemed almost contemplative for a moment before shaking her head and returning to the subject at hand. "Anyway, Toph is going to make sure the tunnel and surroundings are clean and stable, as well as make some non-flammable furniture and amenities. Sokka thinks I'm crazy, but he's with me anyway, and he's working on plans to build the room into more of a suite or apartment than a simple set of four walls and a ceiling. To my estimation it will take several weeks, possibly upwards of a month or two, but with the Princess' deteriorating mental state we want to get this ready as soon as possible."

"If I may ask, why – if you are keeping her in the Traitor's Cage – why do you need a drink to block her bending? Have you visited the Cage?" He was honestly curious, and she replied easily.

"Yes, I have. I know that the room blocks bending. But eventually we're going to want to start bringing her out among others, and until we're sure we can trust her mental state and control...well, I'd just like to have as many advantages as possible." She shrugged, and he nodded his agreement.

"Very well. I believe I can get in touch with most of my contacts within the week. I will let you know as soon as I hear anything."

"Thank you, Uncle. This means so much to Zuko." She leaned over and gave the firebender a hug before standing up. "And thank you for the tea. You were right, it is delicious. But I'm afraid I have to cut this visit short. I still have several things to do if I can even hope to meet Zuko for lunch."

"Make sure you don't work yourself too hard," he said with a grin.

"I'll try not to," she smirked and waved as she headed back into the palace.

_Two large things begun. Time to see what else I have to accomplish today._ Her mental musings were cut short as she rounded a corner only to find herself face-to-face with the one person she was not even remotely expecting to see.

"Fire Consort, my lady. I have something to tell you that you need to hear." The voice, bland as always, nonetheless had an undercurrent of urgency.

"Mai?" Katara asked, astonished. "What...why...I mean, it's nice to see you," she finished rather lamely. The Fire Nation girl simply blinked.

"Is there somewhere that we can go to talk? Privately?" she asked, still in the same flat tone. Katara mentally shook herself and nodded.

"Of...of course. Um, follow me." The two women walked side by side down the hallway, silence their communication, as Katara wondered what on earth could have brought her fiance's former girlfriend to the palace, and why it would be her that Mai wished to speak with so urgently.

* * *

He'd had no set destination in mind when he left. However, Appa was good at reading his partner's moods, and so all Aang had needed to do was climb up onto the bison's head and murmur the customary 'yip-yip' and they were in the air. After having traveled aimlessly for several hours, the airbender decided to bring them to land in a clearing on a small island in the middle of a vast stretch of cerulean sea. Appa, being Appa, knew that if his friend wanted to talk he would, but only when he was ready. The large animal settled down to rest, watching the boy with concerned eyes. On his head sat Momo, and the two observed in silence as Aang began to walk into the trees. With a shared look, the two kind creatures rested together and worried about their friend.

Aang barely knew what he was supposed to think. He'd hurt Katara, even though he hadn't meant to. And the worst part was that she basically had to scream at him for him to realize it. _When did I stop seeing her? Did I ever really see her? Was Toph right?_ His thoughts chased each other back and forth through his mind. He came to the edge of a small stream and flopped down on his back on the damp bank, letting his fingers trail through the water as it burbled over the rocks, sounding happier than Aang had felt in what seemed like ages.

"_What do I do now?"_ His voice seemed out of place in the stillness of the island forest. No answer was forthcoming, either. Though he hadn't expected a reply, the feeling of solitude that swept over him at the total lack of acknowledgment of his rhetorical question struck him to the core. He was alone here. He didn't like being alone. Katara was with him usually. Or Sokka, or Toph. Or the spirits of his former incarnations. Heck, even Appa and Momo weren't with him right now, no matter that they were only a short distance away. But then, as much as he hated being by himself, wasn't that exactly what he'd been searching for?

_If I want to be honest with others, I have to start by being honest with myself._

A deep sigh, and he rolled over on his side, facing the stream. In the clear and shallow flow he could see occasional silver flashes as minnows darted here and there behind rocks and over twigs, their skin catching the random gleams of sunlight as they filtered through the trees above. Watching the tiny fish was soothing, almost cathartic in a way, and there on the bank of the small flow of water he felt himself began to drift off. Knowing instinctively that he needed sleep – more, that he needed rest – he didn't fight it, letting the trickling of the water and the sound of the breeze in the treetops lull him to slumber.

_~...darkness, overwhelming...black wind, howling through his mind...feeding on his soul...the warmth is an illusion, a lie...yet strive for warmth he does...the danger grows...existence is forfeit...with knowledge comes power and he is yet powerless...new one, knows so little and assumes so much...open yourself...open your spirit...~_

In his sleep he tossed and turned, one hand now fully resting in the chilly water, and yet he never woke. An unseen observer might have imagined him to be in the grip of a particularly powerful and unpleasant dream. They would not be wrong. But there were no observers. Only one lonely airbender fighting demons inside his own mind.

_~...how to fight...what to do...the quicksand clutches at his heart...dragging him down...but wait...the spark...the blue flame...the red flame...they spin and whirl...together they are white-hot and silver-blazing...the darkness falters...it retreats, so slightly...he should approach the flame...he is afraid of the flame...afraid of himself...of the knowledge it holds...~_

Muted mutterings pass his lips, nonsensical words that make no sense except perhaps in the depths of his dreamscape. Still he sleeps, though he gets no rest. Not in this realm.

_~...beyond the darkness there is safety...beyond the flame there is hope...the blackness sucks at him, holding him prisoner...he reaches out for something, anything...a hand...a grip...steady and sure...helping him get free...he scrabbles for purchase...the hand pulls...the smell of damp earth...the feel of the flame's warmth...he is escaping...he is free...he is free...~_

With a gasp he sat upright, eyes wide and chest heaving as though he'd been going through a particularly vigorous workout. Night had fallen as he slept, and now it wasn't flashes of sunlight that made the stream glimmer but the colder, gentler light of the moon. He was shaking, shivering from the chill air and the force of the dream he'd had. Assuming a lotus position, he forced himself to focus, to meditate. There was a meaning in that dream, a very solid and definite meaning. He knew it was there. He just had to find it.

Breathing deeply and steadily, Aang turned his thoughts inward and let the turmoil of the recent days slide to a back corner of his mind. He would bring those thoughts out as needed. But first, he had to find out what his dream had been so desperately trying to convey to him. Eyes closed slowly, lashes gentle on his cheeks as he gave himself over to the stillness of meditation and the search for meaning.

* * *

The man stood patiently, subserviently, waiting for the woman before him to finish her perusal of his notes and his person.

"I see you have served in the Earth Kingdom recently. In what capacity did you serve?" Her voice was brusque, no-nonsense, but he would have expected nothing less form the head of the Fire Nation palace staff. His voice was moderate, respectful as he answered.

"I began as a charboy in the palace kitchens when I was a lad. I have worked there for over fifteen years now, and my last appointment was as the assistant to the head of palace guest security. In that capacity I oversaw the safety and security of visiting nobility and dignitaries as well as working with the other staff to assure their comfort."

"For someone with such a long-standing appointment to any nation's royal community, it is odd to receive a request for employment in another country entirely. What reason do you have for changing citizenship?"

He was prepared for this question. He was prepared for any question. With sincerity in his eyes, he spoke.

"When Sozin began the great war, my family line was fairly evenly dispersed between the Earth, Fire, and Air kingdoms. Of course, the Air Kingdom does not exist anymore, save for the Avatar himself – and I claim no such grand relationship, mistress. However, due to the conflict and later open war, the Fire Nation side of my family and the Earth Kingdom side were split. Communication became all but impossible, and for the most part the two halves of my lineage ceased any sort of contact.

"A few months ago, my mother became quite ill. She began to speak of her mother, of her aunts and uncles that had been lost to the Fire Nation after the war started. I planned to console her during her remembrance of their deaths, but then she explained that they weren't dead that she knew of, but rather that because of the war they were lost to her. I promised her that if I ever had the chance, I would seek out the family she was missing so much and try to find a way to reconnect as many of our relatives as I could.

"My mother passed on one week to the day before Fire Lord Ozai was vanquished. She never knew that the war had ended. But with his defeat, the opportunity arose for me to fulfill the promise I made. I have managed to track down the children of my mother's aunt, and they live in the outer ring of the capitol city. I have already opened communications with the family elder. As with my mother's passing I have no family in the Earth Kingdom any longer, I chose to relocate here to meet and know these relatives, and to start a new life free of war in a land from which I can learn so much."

The palace staff mistress listened to the entire explanation with nary a word, and when he had finished speaking she blinked at him, her expression was considering and kind.

"As is the standard, I will review your request for employment. It will take several days while I contact your references. But I must say that it looks favorable."

"Thank you, mistress." He bowed with perfect grace and humility, and knew that she would be impressed with his decorous behavior. After giving her his contact information, the man turned on his heel and left the servant's wing, walking with steps that were neither hurried nor lazy down the hallways and out the doors. The sunlight warmed him as he began his walk to his new abode. He had no doubts about his future. Everything he had said was true, and every one of his references would check out. He expected to hear back within the next few days as to when he would be starting his new job and what position he would be placed in. He didn't much care what it was. He could perform any palace duty with ease. He was especially good at making himself indispensable. It was what made him so good at what he did.

The scroll of instructions had given him a job to do. Those noblemen had given him his required fee. The execution of said instructions was, however, entirely up to him. And he was nothing if not efficient.

Whistling a gentle tune, he tipped his head in a gesture of respect towards the outer gate guards and began to make his way home.


	17. Chapter 17

Katara's chambers somehow seemed crowded with Mai in them in a way they never did with any other visitor. Then again, maybe it was just because the waterbender still didn't know quite where she stood with the noblewoman. Still, with manners befitting her new station, she invited Mai to sit at her leisure and offered refreshment, which the other girl politely declined.

"I didn't come here to have scones and tea. I came because you and Zuko have a problem." Mai's voice was just as monotone as Katara remembered it being, but there was an undercurrent of mild annoyance beneath it.

"What kind of problem?" Katara asked, settling back in her chair.

"Your betrothal reception created quite a stir amongst the council members."

Katara groaned and shook her head. _I knew that dance would cause issues...why on earth did I go through with it?_ Outwardly, though, she stilled her expression to one of mild curiosity before she spoke.

"As we were combining traditions, I thought it was understood that the betrothal dance was acceptable."

"It wasn't the dance," Mai said blandly. "Well, it wasn't entirely the dance. It was what Zuko said to you afterward."

"What do you mean?"

"From what I heard, once you were done with your octopus routine, Zuko asked you to be his wife, and I quote, 'for real.' Is that right?"

Katara, slightly miffed at the casual dismissal of her performance, nonetheless answered politely.

"Yes, he did. And I accepted."

"And all of the council members, not to mention the visitors, heard every word he spoke."

"I suppose they did. Mai, what has this got to do with anything?"

The black-haired young woman looked carefully at the Fire Consort, and in the depths of her golden eyes Katara saw something like impatience building.

"Think carefully."

"Mai, if you have something to say, just say it already." The waterbender was already getting tired of this dance of words. To her frustration, her guest shook her head slowly before answering, her normally emotionless speech slightly patronizing.

"If you plan to rule by Zuko's side you must learn to consider the implications of everything you say and do. But I'll explain it for you. With his actual proposal and your actual acceptance, it let every single council member and diplomat know that before that time, the betrothal was a sham."

In a flash, Katara understood what Mai meant. But she couldn't figure out why it would be a problem and she said as much. Mai just closed her eyes and took a deep breath before responding once more.

"Regardless of the fact that you two are now officially betrothed – and that anyone with eyes can see the way you genuinely feel for one another – the thing that will stick out most in the eyes of the palace nobility was that the two of you had originally intended to pull the wool over their eyes."

"But that shouldn't matter. Not when we are honestly engaged now."

"It doesn't work like that. The fact that the new Fire Lord and his Water Tribe peasant had intended to deceive what is essentially the backbone of the Fire Nation ruling class will be a bone of contention for all of them for some time yet. It's not the outcome that will concern them. It is the fact that, by his confession and public proposal to you, he as much as admitted that he'd planned to carry on a deception first, and for an indeterminate length of time."

As much as she hated to admit it, Katara had learned enough about palace politics in the last few weeks to understand that the noblewoman wasn't underestimating the issue.

"So what you're telling me is that a good portion of the trust Zuko has been trying to build has been damaged by the fact that they now know we were planning to fool them all."

"Exactly."

"Gods above." Katara blew out a harsh breath in frustration. For a moment she simply sat there, the ramifications of what Mai had explained running through her head. After a moment, however, her guest spoke once more.

"This is not the end of the world," she said blandly. Katara just raised an eyebrow, encouraging Mai to continue. "You are legally and officially engaged now. And whereas the council could, if they wanted, push for the dissolution on grounds of betrayal, that is not likely to happen. What you must watch for now are those who speak in favor publicly. Some of them will be genuinely approving – from what I have heard, you have impressed many people in these past few weeks." This was delivered in a tone so apathetic that Katara could almost feel the buried animosity.

"However, there will be those that praise you and Zuko and your impending union but quietly work against it. There are still many within the noble ranks that are silently in support of Ozai."

"Do you know who they are?" Katara asked earnestly. Mai fixed her with a look both bored and pitying.

"They don't exactly announce it." She paused, almost seeming to question her own words, but when she spoke again it was with the bland solidness that was her hallmark. "My advice?"

"Please."

"Carry on as you were doing. Allow the grumblers to grumble, and hold to your ideals and your plans. You will never win over everyone, but if you have enough people on your side then the protection that support offers will far surpass anything the council can bring against you. But be very careful. I don't need to tell you that not everyone is thrilled that a girl from a tribe that was nearly wiped out by the previous Fire Lord is going to become the other half of the ruling couple."

Katara understood exactly what Mai was saying. She had a brief moment of envy – political waters were completely new to her, and while she thought she had a good grasp of the basics, Mai had been swimming in these bearshark-infested depths before Katara had known how to wade. The other girl's instinctive grasp of things that Katara had still to learn made the waterbender feel completely outmatched. As such, she spoke before thinking.

"Mai – why did you and Zuko break up? You know so much more about all of this than I ever could. You would have made an amazing Fire Lady." As soon as the words left her mouth Katara wished she could take them back, and her wide eyes expressed her apology. "I'm sorry. It's none of my business."

"No. It's not." Mai stood and turned away, walking towards the door of Katara's chambers. The waterbender stood hastily as well and walked with her as was polite.

"Thank you, Mai," she said honestly. "I never would have known of this had you not told me, and I am very, very grateful." Her guest turned, regarding her shrewdly through sharp golden eyes. After a few seconds, she turned and reached for the handle of the door. But as she opened it, she paused to speak over her shoulder.

"I left Zuko because I deserve more than to be someone's second choice."

The noblewoman disappeared from the doorway before Katara could even wrap her mind around what had just happened.

* * *

Toph was slightly bored. As anyone who knew her would be able to attest to, this was not a good thing. Until Sokka was done with his planning, she didn't want to begin repairing the tunnel to what would be the Fire Princess' new quarters, just in case he had ideas he wanted to incorporate into the surrounding stone. And she didn't really feel like heading to the site of Katara's future hospital by herself. Katara and Zuko were off doing Fire-Lord-and-Lady things. Suki had chosen to lay down and take a nap. It left the earthbender without company or any clear plans. Currently, she was sitting in a large side courtyard on a raised rock bench she'd made for herself, idly picking up small rocks and making them dance in the air in front of her. A snort escaped her as she remembered Aang doing a similar thing once using his airbending.

_That pigheaded idiot,_ she thought angrily. _He has the balls to try and break Sugar Queen and Sparky apart, but not to stay and help them. What kind of friend is that?_

Without her consciously realizing it, the rocks she was controlling began to spin more wildly, their movements becoming almost violent in response to her temper.

_And how the hell does he get off saying that Sweetness belonged to him? Just because she rescued him, does that mean she's supposed to serve him the rest of his life? Oh, wait, he's the Almighty Avatar, so I guess what he wants is more important than what anyone else wants._

A rock crumbled under the force of the power she didn't realize she was exerting. Another exploded into dust. Three more shot off in random directions only to slam forcefully into the cobblestones of the courtyard. Yet another was tossed so high in the sky that even if Toph had been able to see she likely wouldn't have been able to keep it in sight.

_He's such a damned...child. Avatar or not, he needs to grow the hell up and realize the world doesn't revolve around him. Oooh, if he ever comes back, I'm gonna..._

"Master Toph?"

All of the remaining rocks lost their momentum and dropped to the ground in a haphazard jumble. The earthbender sat upright, shocked beyond belief that she'd been so deep in thought that she hadn't felt Hakoda entering the courtyard from her right.

"Chief Hakoda," she said, pretending she wasn't flustered. "Whatcha need?"

The older man approached slowly, and she could almost feel him grinning.

"That was an impressive show of dexterity," he said calmly.

"Thanks, Chief."

"Except for the few rocks that seemed to have done something to displease you, if their rather – erm, spectacular - destruction was any indication."

The girl was suddenly embarrassed. How long had it been since she'd let her anger slip the bonds of her control? As an earthbender, she knew better than most how dangerous unchecked emotions could be. Air was forgiving; water was comforting. But with earth and fire, it was a battle between bender and element each and every time. It's why she often understood Sparky, how he thought. Fire was violent and rock was stubborn, and in order to master either you had to be far more determined than the element you wished to command. To know she'd let herself slip even a little was enough to make her bow her head ever so slightly in personal disappointment.

"May I sit down?"

_Crap – now I forgot Hakoda was here. What is _wrong_ with me today?_

"Not a problem." With a stray thought she bent him a stone seat as well, and nodded at his murmured thanks.

"So, Master Toph...something seems to be bothering you."

"Why would you say that?" she tossed out carelessly, busying herself with the insignificant task of repairing the damage she'd done to the courtyard.

"Father's intuition," he said drolly, making her huff a laugh. "Also, there is the little fact that you did quite a number on a pile of rocks that to my knowledge had done nothing to you." She stayed quiet, ostensibly concentrating on making sure the courtyard was perfectly smoothed and fixed, but she knew he knew better.

"If you'd like to talk, I'm a good listener." She felt him shrug. "Or if not, that's okay too."

"Aang is such an asshole."

She froze, realizing after she'd opened her mouth that words had actually come out. She hadn't been planning on saying anything, and especially not to Katara's dad.

"He is also a child that has never been taught how to deal with the things he's had to face," Hakoda said gently.

"That doesn't matter," she snarled. _May as well vent. I mean, he did offer to listen. And I've already opened my big mouth. _"He knows that hurting his friends isn't cool. For someone who's all about 'love everyone' and 'forgiveness is the key', he sure as hell doesn't practice what he preaches."

"It is because he loves that he cannot forgive."

"I call snakebullshit. If he truly loved Sweetness as much as he claims to he'd be happy for her. Instead he acts as though the entire world has betrayed him and none of us are worth talking to and takes off on that big furry lump to who-knows-where. What kind of friend is that?"

"One who is confusing gratitude and fondness for real love because he has no understanding of what it truly is."

"Well, he needs to pull his head out of his oh-so-Avatar-y ass sometime and realize that it's not always about him. I mean, there are other people who might actually care about what happens to him, but that doesn't matter. Oh, no – Sugar Queen broke his heart. Sparky betrayed him. So he up and leaves. The rest of us don't even register on his scroll of self importance. If it doesn't fit into his view of what he feels he's owed -"

"You've cared for him for a while now, haven't you?" Hakoda broke into her ranting, and his question threw her so badly that all she could do was gape like a landed lionfish.

"I...well, I – of course I care about him. He's my friend, whether he acts like it or not. And he's y'know, the Avatar, so he's important to the world and all that."

"Toph," the chief said gently, his tone hovering between fond exasperation and amusement. The kindness was her undoing. Uttering a angry screech she sent a shower of rock hurtling from the ground into the sky, letting it land where it would.

"Why is he so damn stubborn? That stupid little...AARGH!" With a leap she was off of her seat and pacing, the ground rumbling under each footstep. "He's so...and I just...I don't...the little BASTARD!"

After a few moments of walking and raging, Toph remembered that she had company, and all of the fight drained from her in one quick moment, leaving her feeling weaker than she ever had felt. She dropped to the ground and drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs and dropping her head down to her knees.

"Why can't I hate him?" she whispered.

The feeling of a solid, warm hand on her head was both startling and soothing, and she allowed herself a sigh.

"Because you love him." Hakoda ruffled her hair once and, with the hard-earned understanding every parent develops, walked away. Toph was almost sad at his leaving, but she knew he understood that this was something she had to work through on her own. Still, she was thankful for the comfort he'd offered. For a few moments she'd felt a little less alone.

* * *

Author's note: Chapter repost, because something funky happened with my formatting and I had to fix it. Sorry, all!


	18. Chapter 18

Feeling weary already, but nonetheless holding a deep sense of accomplishment, Zuko slipped into his chair at the table, noticing he was the first to arrive for lunch. He sighed happily as he settled into the soft cushion, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath to center himself. It was silent in the room, not even servants disturbing the peace, and as he regulated his breathing and allowed his mind to relax he began to feel much more alert. All was peaceful and quiet for a few moments, until he heard a gentle rustle of fabric and his heart leapt into his throat, his eyes opening to watch as his beloved walked gracefully into the room.

"Tired?" she asked with a smile as she approached the table. He pushed his chair back and made as if to stand, but she stopped him with one hand and slid easily onto his lap. With a contented sigh he buried his face in her hair.

"A bit. But I think I am starting to get a handle on some of the things I've been trying to clear up."

"That's good," she murmured, running her fingers through his hair in a soothing manner that helped to wipe the last of the tension from him. With a smile he looked up at her and pulled her down for a soft kiss. She curled into his embrace, her arms draping around his neck and her legs shifting to hang over the arm of the chair. In response he moved one of his hands to her hip to hold her steady while the other one slipped upwards to caress the nape of her neck. After a few moments they broke away slowly, resting their foreheads together and smiling at each other.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"Hungry?" he asked, brushing a finger across her cheek. She leaned into his touch and smiled.

"A bit. You?"

"Honestly? Famished. Who would have thought that sitting and talking could use up so much energy?" She pressed a kiss to his forehead while he motioned to the servants stationed near the door. The royal pair was reluctant to part, but eventually Katara just shook her head with a grin and slid off of his lap to move to her own seat.

"You could have stayed here, you know," Zuko said with a grin.

"But lunch is on its way," she replied, though her blue eyes shone with mischief. "And if I stayed on your lap then it would be so much harder to tease you while I eat. You did order that pasta dish I liked, didn't you?" Her expression was innocence itself and the realization hit the firebender like a ton of bricks.

"You...under the tree...lunch, in the...and the, the bowl...and the sauce...and...that was _deliberate_?" His eyes were wide, shocked, and he knew he must look completely floored. And his beautiful bride-to-be simply sat and regarded him with amusement.

"Of course it was deliberate," she said calmly.

"You...'Tara, I swear to Agni...you, you demon, you!" She couldn't contain her chuckles as he sputtered. "I...you...that's just low, waterbender. You have _no_ idea what you put me through."

"Actually, I believe I do," she laughed. "After all, you can't tell me that it was really always so hot when you were training Aang that you just _had_ to take your shirt off." She snickered at his sudden preoccupation with the tablecloth. "But just like you, I am not ashamed to admit now that I enjoyed the view. You _did_ enjoy it, didn't you?" Wide, knowing eyes dared him to deny.

He groaned helplessly, but was saved from responding by the arrival of their food. She seemed content to let the subject slide for the moment, though Zuko found himself apprehensively excited by the small smile that lingered on her lips. _She will never stop surprising me, I know it. Thank all the gods._

To his relief (_disappointment?_) Katara ate properly, and conversation was suspended until almost all of the food was gone. He watched covertly from the corner of his eye as she finished the last bite of pasta, but noticed that instead of using her fingers as she did the last time, she reached for her bread and cleaned her bowl that way. He tried to keep his expression mild, but he should have known he couldn't fool her. As she sat back in her seat, she turned her languid blue gaze to him.

"What, did you expect me to do that every time?" she asked impishly. He didn't reply, choosing instead to scoop up his last mouthful of rice soup. "Where would the fun be in that? No, Zuzu," she said, leaning slightly towards him. "If I'm going to tease you, it won't be when you expect it." Her voice had dropped to a purr and he swallowed hard. At that point, though, he saw the triumph in her eyes and decided then and there that two could play at that game. An idea began to take shape inside his thoughts, and he contented himself with not responding to her as he allowed it to tickle his mind.

"What condition was the Traitor's Cage in?" he asked, turning the conversation to matters of importance both to throw her off track and to hide the fact that he had his own retaliation plans in the making. She blinked, seeming almost saddened, but her voice was still pleased when she spoke.

"The room itself is completely unharmed. Did you know it's also totally shielded? I couldn't even touch my bending when I was inside. And Toph said the same thing – the walls are metal and she couldn't feel them at all. Also, we need to change the name. Traitor's Cage just doesn't sound positive, and if we're going to be housing Azula there we should probably try to keep the negativity to a minimum."

"I agree. We'll work on that. Will it suit our needs?"

"Absolutely. Sokka's working on some plans to convert it from one giant room into some sort of apartment-like setup so it should hopefully feel less like a cell and more like a home. And Toph's agreed to make non-flammable furnishings, just in case." She sighed and stretched, still speaking. "Also, I spoke with Uncle. He doesn't remember the ingredients to the tea himself but he says he has people he can inquire of, and that he'll get back to me as soon as he hears something."

"I hope this works," Zuko said, a bit of wistfulness in his voice. She leaned over and folded her fingers around his, drawing his full attention.

"It will work. Somehow, we'll make sure it does."

"What would I do without your positivity?" he mused quietly as he reached out with his other hand to caress her hair. She smiled and shrugged.

"Brood. Pout. Worry. Basically become the insufferable prince you were when we met." Her tone was full of love and laughter, and he grinned. Winding her hair around his fingers, he tugged gently, leaning forward while pulling her slowly to him. When their faces were close enough that he could feel her breath on his cheek, he whispered.

"Does that mean I get to tie you to a tree again?" To his delight her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed. A happy laugh rumbled from his chest and he kissed her quickly and soundly before releasing her and sitting back up. It was a good day.

* * *

Stiff, cold, Aang opened his eyes with some confusion. It took him a moment to remember where he was, what he'd been doing. Meditation hadn't provided any answers to his dream, so he decided to try and look deep within, to contact one or more of his previous incarnations for answers. Answers, however, were not forthcoming. After a long and fruitless wait, eventually he'd simply given up. Whatever it was he was supposed to glean from that bizarre dream, apparently it wasn't time for him to know it yet. Which left him no better off than he had been before – hurt, depressed, and alone. After a few moments, he dragged himself to his feet and, with shuffling steps and bowed shoulders, wandered back to join his friends.

Walking back into the clearing, he was immediately bombarded by Momo. The furry critter leapt into the air and dove onto his shoulder, landing with enough force to spin the airbender around on his heels and throw him off balance. Appa's huge tongue licking the whole way up his torso finished the job, and soon Aang was laying on the ground giggling while his bison and lemur expressed how happy they were to have him back. After a few minutes of romping with them, though, he settled down against Appa's flank and started to talk.

"I don't know what to do, guys. I mean, I...I love Katara. I really do. But if I do, shouldn't I be happy for her? Zuko is my friend – why should I want to take away his happiness?" He sighed and reached into one of his pouches for a handful of nuts. Tossing a couple to Momo, he absently crunched on a few himself while he voices his thoughts.

"Was Toph right? Have I really been...manipulating Katara? All of them? I just want to do what's right. I want to help people. But have I been wrong?" He sighed, stretching out. Momo perched on his stomach and the airbender stroked his fur gently, still musing out loud.

"They do look like they belong together. I mean, on the balcony, and at the reception...I've never seen her so happy. She's never looked at me that way.

"If Toph is right, if I've been trying to make Katara into someone she's not just because it's what I think is best...I really don't deserve her, do I, guys?" Appa voiced a low rumbling sound, and Momo just cocked his head and looked at the prone airbender curiously.

"Zuko is good for her. He'll treat her well." Aang sighed. "He'll probably treat her better than I would. I mean, I didn't even know about her hospitals. He was right, I really don't know her at all. But he does. How did I miss all of this?"

Laying there in the grass with his friends, he forced himself to remember, to really remember everything. From the moment she freed him from the ice, until he brought anger and tears to her beautiful eyes on the balcony. He walked back through his memories. It wasn't a pleasant journey – not because the memories weren't pleasant. Many of them were. He could easily admit that he'd been happier with his group of friends and acquaintances since he came back into the world than he was growing up in the temple. The unpleasantness came from watching his own memories as an observer, deliberately divorcing his own emotions from the situations and viewing them objectively. And he saw that Toph had most definitely been right.

The sun had moved in its path while he ruminated. Below the trees when he laid down, it was now directly overhead, warm and golden, shedding its light over all of creation. And Aang knew what he had to do. Climbing to his feet, he jumped into his typical spot on Appa's head.

"Come on, boy. It's time for me to go apologize. Yip-yip!"

The bison rose into the sky with ease, and the Avatar – still heartsick, still hurt, but far more willing to accept that his pain was mostly his own fault now – guided them towards the Fire Palace. Towards Katara, and Zuko, and a future he needed to learn to accept without selfishness.

* * *

Sokka and Suki had joined them in time for dessert, and the four sat chatting easily around the table. By the time their snacks were done, Katara and Zuko had scooted their chairs so close together that she was able to lean over and rest her head on his shoulder. The Fire Lord, a contented smile on his face, wrapped a lock of her long hair around his finger and twisted it gently, absently while they spoke. Katara had just finished relating her earlier discussion with Mai, and the group was hashing out the possible consequences.

"Just tell all your advisors to stuff it and get over themselves," Sokka suggested with a wave of his hand.

"It's not that easy, Sokka," Zuko said.

"Then why didn't you think of all this before you poured your heart out in front of everyone?" the boomerang wielder asked. Zuko glanced at Katara, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head. She looked up and met his eyes with a smile just for him. Not breaking their connection, Zuko answered.

"I'm sorry, Sokka. I was...otherwise distracted at the time."

"Yeah, you and everyone else," Suki said with a laugh. Zuko's head snapped up, his eyes wide as he looked at her. She just shrugged. "What, you think that you were the only one eating up Katara's performance? I think half of the men in that room were in love with her."

Golden eyes flashed jealously, and his arm tightened ever-so-slightly around the waterbender's shoulders. Katara looked up at her betrothed, catching the expression on his face, and burst into laughter.

"Zuko, are you jealous?" she asked with a giggle. He didn't respond, wouldn't meet her eyes, and that made it so much more amusing to her. Reaching up, she traced a finger along his forehead. "You are, aren't you?"

"Maybe," he said grudgingly. He still wouldn't look at her so she took matters into her own hands. Pulling free of his grip, she stood up and settled herself on his lap, a place that was becoming quite familiar to her over the past few days. She placed one hand on either cheek and turned his head, forcing him to meet her eyes.

"Don't be jealous," she whispered. "Be proud. Know that every single one of the men in that room think you are the luckiest guy alive."

"I am," he whispered back, golden eyes shining. He looped his arms around her waist. "I just don't want them thinking they can ogle what's mine." At the playful possessiveness in his tone she leaned back, a wry grin on her face.

"Does that mean I can banish all of the palace women that sit on the sidelines to watch you train?" she asked. From her seat Suki began to laugh out loud, a state that only got worse as they all watched the firebender's cheeks slowly turn pink.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said easily, though he wouldn't meet anyone's eyes. Katara just sighed happily and kissed the tip of his nose.

"The way I see it, they can all think whatever they want about you whenever they want – because while all they can do is imagine, I'm the one that will be sharing your life and your bed and living what they can only fantasize about."

There was a gurgling sound as Sokka choked on his tea.

"Okay, that's it. From now on, the words 'fantasy,' 'bed,' and anything else even remotely suggestive are forbidden to be spoken in reference to my sister," he sputtered. This sent the other three off into peals of laughter, and it was a few moments before things calmed down again.

"Seriously, though, Zuko," Suki managed after a bit, "what kinds of possible repercussions could we be talking about here?" The Fire Lord shook his head and answered.

"The biggest thing is that it will be hard for me to convince the pickier, more inflexible advisors to believe me now. It shouldn't be too much of a problem, since most of my councillors and subjects are in favor of our marriage. But I've no doubt that it will be a stumbling block, especially as I have a set of changes I want to make to the structure of the nobility, changes they will not take kindly to."

"Such as?" the Kiyoshi asked.

"For starters, we have a fairly large group of land owners that have raised taxes on their properties to near astronomical levels, and have blamed it on the downfall of the economy since the war ended. The truth is, the economy has actually improved – not much, but slightly. And with the agreements we now have with the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom, in a year or so it should help us to completely restore the nation's ability to support itself financially.

"If all goes well, I'll be able to pass a law that limits the amount of taxation any Fire Nation citizen can be held to, regardless of who actually owns their lands. Now, though, I will not only have to argue the concept with a group of people that care more for their money than their tenants and would have been opposed to the idea to begin with, but I also have to deal with the fact that they will be likely to use the planned charade to fight against me."

"Us." Zuko looked at Katara when she spoke. "You keep saying 'you'. But it's 'us' now. And we are stronger together than either of us could ever be apart. We'll work it all out, Zuko, I promise."

"There's that positivity again," he said with a laugh.

"One of us has to have it," she countered. But she was smiling, and her hand was warm in his, her fingers squeezing slightly in support.

* * *

Author's note: Chapter repost, because something funky happened with the formatting. :-P Sorry!


	19. Chapter 19

Since she was the only one not at lunch yet, Toph was also the only one that was aware that the missing one of their number was currently walking down the hallway to the communal room. She'd spent the hours since her talk with Hakoda settling a few things in her own mind, and she was more than ready for the confrontation the airbender didn't even know was forthcoming. Stepping out from the shadows of the pillar she'd been leaning against, she stopped right in front of him, sightless eyes nonetheless fixing on him with unerring accuracy.

"So the prodigal Avatar returns. Come to twist the knife a little deeper? Or have you magically grown up in the last two days?"

Aang was totally taken aback by the venom in her tone; she could feel his hesitation.

"Toph..." he began, only to fall silent once more.

"Yes?" she asked archly, crossing her arms.

"I...I've been an idiot."

"You have." Statement, not question, and she knew he knew it too.

"I don't know what...how to say what I want to say. Or even if they'll listen."

"I'm sure they'll listen. Katara seems to have quite a soft spot for you. As does Zuko. But whether you'll have anything to tell them that's worth hearing is another matter entirely."

"Toph – what's wrong?" She could feel his confusion as she took a step closer, then one more.

"What's wrong? Not much, really." Another step, and he began to back up. "You've spent most of your time with us trying to use us as your puppets to do what you think is best...conveniently ignoring authority or responsibility when it didn't match what you wanted." One more step. One step back.

"Training when it suited you and playing the child when it didn't." Step. Step back. "You spent so much time looking at Katara that you never saw her." Step. Retreat. "Building a friendship with Zuko, who never knew what friendship was or that there could be greater and more satisfying relationships in life than those of mutual respect." Step. Retreat. The cold stone of the palace wall against his back at the same time her finger jabbed pointedly into his chest with enough force to bruise.

"Assuming that we would all fall in with your choices without sparing a single thought for the fact that we may have wanted to make decisions of our own." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, knowing he could feel her anger but also knowing he had no idea why. That made her even more upset, but she held onto her temper, only letting it slip forth in small bursts of speech.

"Never did you ask what your actions could do to others. Never did you consider that anyone other than you may have been upset or sad or worried. And then, you did the unthinkable. You hurt the woman you 'love'." Her fingers came up to make air quotes, and her voice was devoid of emotion. "But you wouldn't accept that it was your fault that she was hurting, so you blamed the man you'd befriended. Never mind that Zuko would have cut off his own arms before causing you pain. You blamed him anyway. And that's not even the worst of it yet.

"No, what was worse was that in this whole lovely triangle of pure muck you'd managed to fuse together, you completely ignored the rest of us. The ones that may have been able to help. That might have been able to be a buffer, to try and keep things from going as far as they did. None of us were important to you. Wrapped in your almighty cloud of self-importance – did you even remember we were there?"

"Toph, please -" he began, but she cut him off, this time grabbing hold of the collar of his robes with both hands and slamming his shoulders against the unforgiving wall.

"No. I've heard your excuses. I've heard your whining and your pity-me shit. There is only one thing I want to hear from you now, and if you aren't planning to say it and mean it then this conversation is over."

There was a very long moment of silence. No palace help wandered by. No guards stepped through the hallway on patrol. All that existed was her, and him, the wall she currently had him backed into, and her anger – a force so palpable it could almost have passed for an entity in its own right. She could feel his muscles quivering. She could feel his heartbeat. Yet she stayed silent, holding him in place, while her inner self hoped beyond hope that he would understand what she was trying to tell him.

"Toph...I'm sorry."

The sincerity in his voice convinced her; the honest remorse she could feel throughout his body urged her to believe. But that much anger doesn't just fade. She'd spent her entire morning in her thoughts, and now that she finally had an outlet for her frustration her psyche was reluctant to give it up.

"I don't think I heard you properly," she said, her voice low and harsh.

"I was wrong. I was so, so wrong." His voice was small but certain. "I hurt everyone I cared about. I hurt my friends. And I am so very sorry."

She held him in place for a while longer, rationality warring with the need to put him in his place properly.

"And you think that 'sorry' will make it all better?" she hissed.

"No," he said with certainty. "No, I know it won't. I don't know what will make it better. That's why I have to ask everyone, all of you. I need to know how to fix this, and I hope that they'll listen to me. That they'll believe me." He took a deep breath. "That you'll believe me."

"Oh, I believe you, Aang," she said, knowing that her use of his actual name would stress to him the fact that she was quite serious. "I believe you didn't want to cause problems. I even sort of believe you when you say you understand what you did wrong. But belief is not trust." She let go of his clothes, keeping him pinned in place by no more than the force of her words.

"You've got a lot of work to do if you want them to trust you again. And even more if you want me to."

"Tell me what to do, Toph. Tell me and I'll do it." There was a quaver in his voice she could tell he was trying to hide, and she knew he understood now. Her point was made. But she couldn't resist one more push.

"Start by making them believe you. If you can convince them that you're sincere, that you truly have grown up and are not the spoiled little snot you've been, then we'll talk."

"I will. I promise. I...I want my friends back. My family. I just want to come home."

Yes, he was changed, even a bit broken. Whatever his thoughts had been when he took off on Appa, Toph could tell that he had different ones now. And like any earthbender knew, sometimes things just had to break to be made even stronger in the end. Her work was done. Almost.

"They're in the common dining hall," she said abruptly. And then she grabbed the front of his robes, slammed him back once more, and crushed her lips to his the way she'd wanted to do for so long.

A fairly lengthy moment later saw the master earthbender walking calmly down the long hallway and turning a corner, disappearing out of sight, while the Avatar gasped for breath and composure against a hard brick wall, wondering what the hell had just happened.

* * *

Late in the afternoon as it was, the man was just returning from the market to the home he was now living in. Upon entering the humble house, he noticed the covered dish on the small table and smiled to himself. Having reacquainted himself with his long-separated family had its advantages. The children of his mother's aunt were very hospitable, and made a wonderful effort to welcome their distant Earth Kingdom relative with grace and kindness. His third cousin and his family, especially, had been very considerate and helpful. In fact, if he could guess by the aroma wafting from the dish, it was likely the man's wife that had so thoughtfully left dinner for him. However, it wasn't the dish that caught his attention fully. Sitting behind the lidded earthenware bowl was a small scroll. As he picked it up, he was unsurprised to see that it bore the seal of the Fire Palace.

He opened it quickly and read the information within. Starting tomorrow he was an official member of palace staff. He smiled, placing the scroll back on the table. After taking a few moments to put away the items he'd purchased while he'd been out, he procured himself a glass of water and sat down at the table. A short time later he was enjoying the delicious homemade stew his family had so nicely provided and contemplating his next steps. Palace employment was secured, and that made things so much easier. He smiled once more.

It really was good stew.

* * *

Lunchtime had come to a satisfying end. Suki and Katara had left to find Toph, and Zuko had gone back to his Fire Lord-ly duties, leaving Sokka peacefully flipping through his scrolls and notes, things and ideas he'd written down for both the upcoming renovations to the house his sister wanted as a hospital as well as the sketches and concepts for the Fire Princess' new cell.

"Apartment," he muttered. "Katara doesn't want it to be a cell. I still say she's nuts. But, hey..." Unaware that he was thinking out loud, and not one to care even if he had known, he idly munched on the last remaining meat skewers as he jotted a few things down here and there. So involved was he that he didn't hear the soft approaching footfalls. In fact, he wasn't even aware that he was no longer alone until a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Whatcha doing?"

With a sound that was most definitely _not_ a squeak, because he was a warrior and warriors did not squeak, Sokka caught himself with one hand before he fell out of his chair and looked up at the boy across the table from him.

"Aang! What...when...how long have you been back?"

"Not long. I, um..." To Sokka's shock the airbender seemed both flustered and ashamed. After a moment he cleared his throat. "Have you seen Katara?"

Immediately Sokka's protective radar flared. Aang was his friend, but Katara was his sister, and the boy had hurt her badly. With one eyebrow raised, he regarded Aang.

"Yes. Why?"

"Do you know where she is?"

"Why?"

The Avatar sighed, shoulders slumped, and spoke to the table.

"Because I've been such an idiot, and I know I need to apologize to everyone for the way I've treated all of you, but more than anything I need to apologize to Katara...and to Zuko."

Sokka regarded the younger boy for a long time. To his credit, the airbender stood silently, not pressing or cajoling. Eventually Sokka sighed and spoke.

"I think maybe you should give her until tomorrow." Aang looked up curiously, but there was no trace of the stubbornness that had been the Avatar's personal hallmark for as long as Sokka had known him. "She's...well, I think it's best to say that she's probably not going to be very receptive to you, though I know she wants to be. But she's set herself a lot of tasks to do today, and I think maybe if you hold off until tomorrow, after she's had a productive day and a good night's sleep, she'll be more likely to listen."

"I understand," Aang said. "It's a good idea. I'll see if she'll talk to me tomorrow. I'll try and talk to Zuko then too."

Sokka was never one to hold grudges unless someone harmed his family, and though that was exactly what the boy did the warrior was inclined to be more forgiving. After all, what did Aang really know of the world, or how to interact with others? Hell, what did the boy know of himself? He was only twelve when he was trapped in ice. Sokka remembered being three years older than that and having to deal with the fact that he was the only warrior left to protect his family and his tribe. No child should have to learn the harshness of life that early, not if there was another way around it. But whereas Sokka grew up in the Tribe and knew what was expected, understood the job he was tasked with regardless of whether he actually knew how to do it, Aang bypassed most of the things he would have learned and was dropped right into a battle for the entire world. With a sigh and a slightly friendlier expression, Sokka motioned for him to take a seat and waved a hand to attract the attention of one of the servants.

"You should sit. You look like hammered crap. Hungry?"


	20. Chapter 20

"Hey, Toph!" Suki called out to the earthbender. Toph didn't bother to look up, but that wasn't unusual. The older two knew their friend had felt them coming long before they'd seen her.

"What's up?" the blind girl asked, tossing another piece of bread into the water for the gathered turtleducks.

"Is something wrong?" Katara asked, immediately picking up on the tension in her voice. Sitting down to Toph's left, she reached out for her hand while Suki sat on her other side.

"Not really."

"Then what's got you so sad?" the Kyoshi asked.

"I'm not sad."

"Okay, then, what's got you so...un-Toph-like?"

It seemed as though she wasn't going to answer immediately, but her friends were patient. Their waiting paid off.

"I kissed Aang."

There was a moment of quiet while Suki and Katara absorbed not only the content of their friend's sentence, but the fact that the earthbender didn't call him by a nickname.

"While we were traveling?" Suki inquired. Toph shook her head. "Well, when?"

"About twenty minutes ago."

"Wait – he came back?" The Water Tribe girl's voice was colored with shock. Toph, unusually quiet, just nodded. A bit worried by the other girl's behavior, the warrior and the waterbender sat down on either side of their younger friend. With the instinct that made her such a great healer, Katara reached out and squeezed Toph's hand.

"What happened?"

After a period of silence, Toph began to speak.

"I overheard one of the servants saying that the Avatar had been spotted heading back to the palace. So I figured rather than meeting you all for breakfast I'd wait for him – I had a few things I wanted to say to the arrogant little snot." The older two knew that the venom in her voice wasn't directed at anyone, but more at the situation, so they let it slide. "I met him in the hallway. I think...I know I said a lot of stuff that was probably a lot meaner than it had to be, but he deserved it."

"So...how did you putting him in his place lead to you kissing him?" Suki wanted to know. Toph just shrugged and tossed the last piece of bread out in front of her.

"I was just so pissed off...I don't even really know why I did."

"Toph," Katara said gently, and the younger girl huffed a sigh.

"Fine. I kissed him because I wanted to. Happy now?"

"Are you?"

"No. Yes. Dammit, I don't know." She started raising little clods of dirt into the air and bouncing them back and forth. Katara and Suki shared a look over her head.

"So how did he react?" Suki asked.

"I don't know. I left."

Once more, there was a period of silence as no one knew quite what to say. Finally, though, Katara stood up and brushed the wrinkles out of her pants.

"Well, since he probably went looking for us and I'd bet you're not ready to see him again right now, Suki and I were wondering if you'd like to accompany us to the hospital site? I have Sokka's notes -" she held up a roll of parchment "- and I don't have any other meetings today, so we thought we'd go get started on the initial restructuring. If you're interested, that is."

"Am I ever!" Toph said, jumping to her feet. "Let's get going. I have this sudden need to beat something into submission – and this is just the thing." She took off at a fast-paced walk, leaving her friends to look at one another and shrug before following.

* * *

Tired, but satisfied with the day's work, Zuko stood and waited until all of the delegates had left the room before indulging in a yawn and a stretch. He idly wondered if Katara and the girls were back from the old mansion yet – he knew she and Suki had planned to gather Toph and head over there after lunch. As he gathered the scrolls from the table and handed them to the waiting clerk for proper filing, he let his mind wander over all that had been accomplished in the months since the war ended. Peace treaties had, eventually, been hashed out and signed by all the nations. Trade agreements and suggestions were running rampant, and both the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes – though understandably wary in their dealings – nonetheless were willing to give him a chance to prove that he was not like the Fire Lords that had come before. He was beyond grateful for the opportunity to try and atone for a hundred years of war, and though he didn't know exactly how to do everything that needed done, to his eternal shock they were willing to give him time. It made him feel both extremely honored and supremely determined. He might not know just how to get there, but he definitely knew where he was going.

Domestically, things were looking up as well. Granted, much of the higher echelon of citizens were hesitant to fully support their newest, youngest Fire Lord, but he had no doubt that he would be able to win over most of them within a reasonable amount of time. The common citizens seemed to trust him more fully, and were very obviously happier with the end of wartime and the beginning of an era of peace that most couldn't even conceive of. It certainly helped that they were completely enamored of his wife-to-be as well. Katara had certainly made an impression in the Fire Nation. He smiled softly, chuckling to himself and remembering.

The day after the capture and incarceration of Ozai and Azula, she was out on the streets amongst the people, helping and healing and consoling. For weeks she went out every day, and though there were many who still treated her poorly, calling her a water witch, refusing her help, even going so far as to throw things at her or push her away - still she persisted. She refused to let him do anything about the verbal (and occasionally physical) disrespect and abuse – a fact that made him so angry he himself didn't speak to her for a full day. The day after, when he'd decided to go try and talk to her again, to convince her to at least take guards with her for her own protection, he found her just outside the palace gates on a chunk of rubble from what had at one point been a wall. A smattering of wilted cabbage was clumped on the ground, and smears of the vegetable on her bodice and small chunks in her hair attested to the fact that she'd been someone's target.

She was simply sitting, watching as the people bustled, trying to pick up the pieces of their lives in whatever way they could, and as he stood in the shadows of the outer gate he could see a tear roll down her cheek. Slowly he walked over. He'd been unsure of his reception – they'd both said some pretty harsh things the day before – but he couldn't bear to be at odds with her. She turned her head slightly when she heard him approach, and to his shock she scooted over far enough to make room for him to sit down. Shocked, he took the proffered seat.

"Why do you do it?" he wondered aloud.

"Do what?"

"Why do you put up with the way they treat you? I mean, I could make them stop. I could assign you some guards, so you wouldn't have to worry. What if it had been a rock?"

"Zuko, I'm a healer."

"Still – that's no reason to let them get away with this!" He'd begun to get angry, but she wasn't responding to it and he realized that there was more to her melancholy than a few rotten vegetables.

"Katara, what's wrong?" he'd asked. She simply looked back out over the milling crowds of people in various stages of grief.

"This is what power brings. This pain. This sorrow. Why would anyone wish this for their own people? What kind of pull must power and greed have, to cause such destruction?"

He had no answer for her at first, so he tentatively reached out and placed his arm around her shoulders, moving slowly and giving her every chance to move away or to ask him to. She'd done neither, but nor did she lean into him. Together they sat, and eventually his thoughts had begun to form into words. He remembered that he had whispered, but she had heard him anyway.

"I don't think that it's power itself that is to blame. In the right hands, power can help, can heal. But when someone uses it for personal gain, all it can do is destroy."

She didn't reply for a long time, but when she did her voice was soft, sad.

"All of these people, so afraid. So afraid to trust, to believe. So many scars to heal." She stood abruptly and turned to him, and tugged his hair out of his topknot until the shaggy ends hung in front of his face. He was puzzled, and even more so when she gestured for him to take off his royal tunic. He had a simple linen shirt on beneath it, and she regarded him calculatingly for a moment. And then she'd held out her hand. "Come with me?"

Without hesitation he had followed her, placing his hand in hers and allowing her to guide him. This was the first he had been out of the palace, having had things to take care of to secure his own rule and set things in motion to repair the damages that were visible in every part of his nation. She led him through streets and alleys, helping where she was permitted to by the people they passed. Many did not allow her to, and he could see that it hurt her, but never a harsh word left her lips. Instead, she simply told them that if they changed their minds to send for her and she would come. Most people scoffed, and Zuko recalled clearly the open scorn and mistrust that was on so many faces. It had made him boil with rage, but every time he would have said something she just turned her blue eyes to him in a mute plea for silence. And as usual, he could deny her nothing, so he ceased his protests and eventually just walked with her.

They stayed out for hours that day. He could see his guards following inconspicuously, and he knew at least one of them would have sent a message to the palace to let everyone know that their leader was safe and would return eventually. Mostly, though, his attention was fixated not only on Katara but on the people he saw. The few that allowed her help seemed truly grateful, but it was nothing to the thanks in her demeanor. He realized that his friend _needed_ to help, that it went beyond a desire to be nice. Katara was a healer, a born nurturer, and she couldn't stand to see pain or injustice and not at least try to make things better.

As night began to fall, the heat of the day ceding reluctantly to the marginally cooler temperatures of twilight, she began to lead him back to the palace. They had started up the main road to the gates when he heard the sounds of small running feet, and two tiny voices behind them.

"Water lady! Water lady!"

Both of them turning, they saw a couple of young girls, not even old enough for school yet. They were carrying a large, beaten box between them and moving as fast as they could while struggling with the container. At a slightly slower pace behind them waddled a very pregnant woman, her face weary and soot-stained, and it was obvious that she was not quite sure about the situation and that she was watching her children devoutly, prepared to do battle or run as the situation called for it. As he puzzled over the woman, Katara dropped to her knees to greet the girls that had just caught up with them.

"What is it?" she asked kindly. The older of the two girls, golden eyes wide as they looked at the waterbender, spoke in a shaky voice while her little sister sobbed quietly.

"Teva. She's hurt and she's...Momma says she's gonna die. Can you help?"

By this point the mother had caught up, watching the scene warily. Zuko wondered why she was so worried – after all, he was the Fire Lord. His subjects shouldn't be afraid with him around. But then he remembered how Katara had taken his hair down, discarded his tunic, and he understood that she meant for him to be unrecognizable. As such, he swallowed what he'd been going to say and just watched the scene unfold.

Katara had reached out and drawn the box closer to her, and he leaned over to look in it as well. Inside was a battered, panting kitten. Its back legs had obviously been crushed or smashed, and its breathing was so random and thready he felt it was a wonder it had made it this long. There was a long, jagged tear down its side, and the blood had congealed with dirt and ash and matted the fur together.

"I've never healed a cat," Katara had said quietly, reaching one hand into the box to stroke the poor animal's head.

"Come on girls," the mother said, her voice both tired and sarcastic. "I told you not to bother the water witch." At that Katara, never lifting her hand from the creature in the box, looked up at the woman.

"I didn't say I wouldn't try."

Zuko watched as she immediately pulled water to her fingertips, first washing the fur as well as she could without causing the animal further pain. One of her hands was almost big enough to span the kitten's entire body, and her eyes fluttered closed as she worked. Having seen her healing many times, it still never failed to impress him to watch skin knit back together, to see bones smooth...to watch a miracle of the magnitude that she was capable of performing always made him feel both humbled and inconsequential. With the kitten the effect was slow, Katara concentrating to use only enough power to fix without it being enough to overwhelm the small, beaten body that she was healing. Still she worked diligently, fingers tracing fur and limbs gently, shifting and smoothing and caressing even as her healing water flowed at her whim. He wasn't the only one enraptured. Both little girls were staring into the box, the younger one still crying silently, the older twisting her fingers together nervously. Their eyes were as full of hope as their mother's were full of reserve. After what seemed like a long time, Katara sighed and pulled the water off of her hands and sent it back into the pouch at her waist with a stray thought. As they watched, the kitten lifted its head and nuzzled gently against Katara's hand. The movement was slow, weak, but very obvious. And then a faint 'mew' issued from it's mouth.

"TEVA!" the girls cried out. Katara, smiling gently, pet the kitten for a moment before lifting it completely out of the box and cradling it against her chest. The kitten snuggled against her warmth, and Zuko felt tears come to his eyes – though of course he did not permit them to fall.

"Is she okay?" the older girl asked excitedly.

"She will be. With some food and rest, she should be just fine. But she's going to be very tired for a while. I may have healed what was hurt, but now she has to regain her strength." She handed the kitten over to the older girl, helping adjust her grip so that the kitten was as comfortable as possible. And then Katara looked up at the mother, speaking quietly. "I know everything is all wrong right now, that times are harder than ever. If you need anything – for the kitten, or for your family – please, let me know. Let me help."

Zuko remembered how he had stood stock still, waiting in silence for the woman to respond to Katara's gentle words. The sounds of the closing day echoed around them while the woman just looked at the still-kneeling waterbender for an interminable time. Finally she spoke.

"My family and I are well, but I thank you for the offer. And for healing my daughters' cat. She was a gift from their older brother before he went to war. She is all we have left of him." He watched as Katara nodded her understanding, the empathy in her eyes visible to any who would look.

"Anything I can do, I'd like to. There are so many wrongs that need to be righted. And I can't do a lot, but I have to try." Once more there had been a pause in the wake of Katara's words before the woman had spoken again.

"You are not as savage as I have always been taught to believe," the woman said carefully. Katara had shrugged.

"The people of the Fire Nation aren't all evil either, despite what I was raised to think."

The two women – one fire, one water – regarded each other for a long while, and Zuko stood back, just watching the tentative truce.

"Tomorrow, there is a family on our street that is moving to another house, since theirs was completely demolished. The father and eldest sister have been hurt badly, and will have a difficult time making the move. I will speak to them tonight. If you would be willing to help, I'm certain I can convince them to accept it."

Katara, still kneeling, gazed upwards with wide eyes, a small smile blossoming on her face.

"I would be honored to help, however I can."

The woman nodded once before motioning to her daughters.

"It's the third street past the fountain." She looked down at her girls who were still cooing over the tired but very much alive kitten. "Come on, little ones. Your grandmother should have dinner ready now." As the trio began to leave, the woman looked back over her shoulder.

"Thank you again." And then the three females walked off, kitten carried gently as they made their way down the road. Suddenly, the youngest girl turned and ran back as fast as she could. With a sudden leap she threw herself into Katara's arms. Zuko remembered how surprised the waterbender had looked, but she'd still caught the girl.

"Thank you for helping Teva! You're a nice person, water lady." And with a quick kiss on Katara's cheek, the girl turned and pelted back down the road until she'd met up with her family and they resumed their journey home. With a soft smile and a sigh, Katara stood and when she'd turned to him he could see the joy, the satisfaction glowing in her gorgeous eyes.

"You asked why I would put myself in danger. Why I would put up with the ridicule, the rudeness." She glanced back down the road at the small family. "That's why."

Zuko remembered the feeling of warmth that had spread through him, the sudden comprehension. This was who she was, who she wanted to be. And it was then that he first truly realized that what he felt for her went beyond friendship. Oh, he vowed never to say it, but as they'd walked back to the palace together he'd felt such a sensation of peace, of rightness, that it rocked him to the core.

The sound of a door opening pulled him out of his memories, but the smile they'd brought to his face remained as he turned to see who had come in. Hakoda saw the smile and met it with one of his own.

"Good day?" the older man asked casually. Zuko shrugged and walked to meet him.

"Acceptable day. I was just...remembering something."

Together the two leaders left the council room and headed down the hallways towards the communal dining area where everyone else would be gathering.

"Must have been a good memory, to bring a smile like that to your face."

"It is," Zuko replied quietly. "It really is."

* * *

Author's note: Chapter 20. Wow. I feel pretty awesome about that. :)


	21. Chapter 21

Author's note: Just a harmless bit of fluff. :)

* * *

Katara idly wondered where Aang was. When they'd all gathered for dinner, she had expected that he'd have joined them, had actually steeled herself for halting conversation and discomfort, but when she entered the dining room he was nowhere in sight. Suki had moved immediately to her chair at Sokka's right and Toph took a seat at the other side of the table while the waterbender approached slowly. Her brother, looking up, saw the confusion and hesitance on her face and understood immediately.

"He won't be coming for dinner. He ate earlier."

"Why?" she couldn't help but ask as she slid into her chair. Sokka shrugged.

"I suggested he wait until tomorrow to talk to you and Zuko, and he decided that he didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable so he took off. He'll be back tomorrow morning, he said, and he'd really like a chance to talk to you."

"Who would like a chance to talk to her?" Zuko asked from the doorway as he walked in, Hakoda at his side.

"Aang's back," Suki answered bluntly. The firebender looked surprised as he crossed to sit beside Katara, leaning down to kiss her lightly before speaking again.

"Really? Where is he?" Zuko's voice was slightly worried, and Sokka went back over his explanation as to the airbender's absence. Nodding his understanding, he glanced up at the Water Chief who had walked over to hug his son and his future daughter-in-law.

"Aren't you staying for dinner?" Katara asked her father. He shook his head.

"I've got to go talk over some stuff with Bato and send a message to Chief Arnook. I'll just grab something when I get back to the rooms." He walked around the table and gave Katara a hug, then did the same to Zuko – an act that startled the Fire Lord to no end. Hakoda just laughed at the look on the firebender's face.

"Get used to physical contact, Lord Zuko. You're marrying my daughter, and we're a very demonstrative family."

"I...yes, I...okay. I'll try," the younger man stammered, causing everyone at the table to chuckle. With a wave Hakoda left the room and the five friends settled in to enjoy their dinner. They tucked into the food without delay, all of them rather hungry by this point. Not much conversation was had while they ate, but once the entrees had been consumed they all relaxed a little and began to discuss the events of their respective days.

"So," Zuko asked, taking a sip of fresh berry juice, "how much progress did you girls make on the hospital today?" To his and Sokka's confusion the two older females began to laugh while Toph just groaned and dropped her head to the table. "What did I say?" he asked, confused.

"It's not you," Katara reassured him. "It's just that...well, Toph had some stress and stuff she wanted to work out so we just turned her loose with her bending." Suki picked up the tale from there.

"Katara gave her a rundown of the major changes she wanted on the ground floor, things like replacing the west staircase with a curving ramp and taking down the wall between the first and second dining rooms, that kind of thing." Suki was actively trying to hold back her mirth. "While Toph got started on that, Katara and I went outside to mark off the area she wants to use as a medicinal garden. We were just checking off some of the notes when there was this horrid crash from inside the house."

"Suki and I rushed back into the house, and the first thing we saw was Toph just staring awkwardly upwards. It took me a minute to figure out what was so strange about what I was seeing." Katara was grinning, eyes glimmering with amusement. Toph let out a small moan and draped her arms over her head, muttering something none of them could hear under her breath.

"What happened?" Sokka asked gleefully, clearly enjoying their youngest friend's embarrassment.

"Oh, nothing much," Katara replied blithely. "Just a beautifully curving and stable ramp that started on the ground floor, wrapped in a gentle slope around the entryway...and plowed right through the first two bedrooms to knock a hole in the far wall of the second story."

Disbelieving looks crossed over both male faces, the guys knowing how precise Toph usually was with her bending.

"Sweetness, is this payback for me teasing you about Sparky?" the earthbender griped from her face-planted state on the table. Katara giggled.

"Maybe..." she answered playfully.

"You were teasing Katara...about me?" Zuko asked, partially out of curiosity and partially to deflect some of the attention from Toph. Suki took the hint and helped change the subject, knowing their friend wasn't ready for the guys to know about her crush on their resident airbender. With a wicked smirk, she looked slyly at the suddenly apprehensive Water Tribe girl.

"Just a little bit," the Kyoshi warrior said with a grin.

"What about?" he asked, golden eyes alight with interest.

"Well, apparently our Momma Pantherbear here gets a little...possessive...when it comes to you," Suki began, only to be cut off by Katara.

"Oh, look, dessert! We should probably eat it before it, you know, gets cold or...whatever..." Her sentence trailed off lamely as she looked down to realize that their dessert was a frozen whipped concoction of some sort. Toph and Suki just laughed but no one argued with the idea of eating rather than talking. Eventually, though, bowls were scraped clean and one by one they leaned back in their chairs, thoroughly full and happy.

"Well, I guess this is a good time to call it a night and head to bed, right Suki?" Sokka said, shooting his girlfriend a glance that was about as far from subtle as it could get. There were snickers around the table, and Toph rolled her eyes.

"Geez, Snoozles, even _I_ saw that one," she teased. He gaped at her for a moment before sighing with resigned agreement. Suki meanwhile was simply chuckling, and Katara and Zuko wore indulgent smiles as they shook their heads. It seemed, though, that Sokka's words were the unofficial signal for the end of the evening. Shortly afterward the two warriors took their leave, followed by Toph who, in typical Toph fashion, couldn't resist a snarky comment as she walked out of the dining room. Once they were alone, though, Zuko arched an eyebrow at Katara.

"So you're possessive?" he asked, grinning smugly. She felt her cheeks heat and blustered a reply.

"Well, no – I mean, yes...oh, just shut up."

"So tell me about this teasing," he murmured, reaching out to draw her into what was becoming her customary spot on his lap. He made an idle motion with his hand to dismiss the servants for the evening as she snuggled against him.

"It was nothing." He looked at her, disbelief in his golden eyes, and she sighed and buried her face in his neck. "Fine. Remember the night you were invited to the Water Tribe rooms to discuss betrothal customs?"

"How could I forget?" he groaned. She looked up at his face, seeing him blushing, and broke out in a laugh.

"They wanted the curtain ceremony, didn't they?" Her smile was wicked, enjoying his shy attitude. He nodded.

"They did, but Sokka told them we'd already decided against it. It wasn't until after the get-together when we were walking back to our rooms that I convinced him to tell me what it was." His eyes gleamed as he smiled. "And I just have to say that your people are far more kinky than I ever thought they would be." He laughed at her renewed blush. "But what has that got to do with you being teased about me?"

"Well, I...that night, Suki and Toph hijacked me for 'girl time'. So they said. Mostly it was an excuse to tease me about...you."

"What about me?"

"Do you really want to know?" she asked, not meeting his eyes. She felt his chuckle reverberate through his chest.

"Absolutely. This should be good."

"Well," she began, taking a deep breath, "first Toph wanted to know if you were really as sexy as people said." Glancing up at him under her lashes she saw that he was completely floored by her statement. "What? You cannot be oblivious to the fact that you are one damnably attractive man." It was her turn to laugh at his blush and stammered denial, which she did happily before continuing. "Anyway, so somehow...maybe...chocolate got brought up, and -"

"Chocolate?" he asked, eyes wide. She just shrugged, deciding to go for broke.

"Suki said you had a body that begged to be covered in chocolate."

Though she felt her own flush, it was nothing to the flabbergasted expression on the firebender's face. He looked simultaneously intrigued and frightened, and she couldn't help but giggle and cuddle closer to him, raising one hand to gently stroke the side of his neck. After a moment he cleared his throat, speaking as if unsure that he wanted to hear the answer.

"And what...what did you say..? About that?"

"Not much. At one point I reminded them that I could bloodbend them out a tower window, I think." She felt him relax marginally and couldn't resist poking a little more. "I never told her that I thought it was a great idea." She laughed delightedly as he buried his face in her hair, muttering about temptations and devils. Unable to resist the urge, she slowly ran her fingers from his neck to his scalp, loosening his topknot and carefully setting the decorative metal flame on the table. He pulled back slightly, staring at her while she ran her hands repeatedly through his hair, the texture silky-soft and sensual against her skin.

"How did I get so lucky?" he murmured softly.

"I've been asking the same thing about myself," she replied, leaning slightly so that she could brush her lips against his forehead. They sat there in a warm silence until, after a while, Katara suddenly yawned loudly. A sheepish expression flashed across her face and he laughed gently, rising to his feet with her still in his arms. Her gasp of surprise as he easily carried her across the room made him smile down at her.

"I am perfectly capable of walking, you know," she said archly.

"I've no doubt you are," he rebutted. Still, he made no move to put her down and she made no attempt to leave the haven of his embrace. He carried her through the halls, reveling in the way she curled against him, and after a quiet, comfortable walk they were standing outside her chambers. During their journey her cuddling had slowly morphed to a slumped embrace and by the time he reached her door she was sound asleep, her face buried in his neck and her soft breathing tickling his skin. Cazin and Baru looked fondly at the scene before them – the Fire Lord carrying his sleeping lady - and the older of the two guards opened her door so that Zuko wouldn't have to relinquish his burden just yet. He whispered his thanks and stepped inside, kicking the door shut with his foot as he did so.

It was the work of several moments to get her arranged on her bed and he debated for a moment on waking her up so that she could change into her nightclothes, but she looked so peaceful that he was loathe to disturb her. Even in sleep she didn't seem to want to let go of him, however, and when he attempted to remove her arms from around his neck she began to stir. Her eyes opened slowly, once more holding him willingly captive with their incomparable beauty.

"Zuko?" she whispered.

"It's okay. Go back to sleep." He leaned down to brush a soft kiss against her lips when everything changed. No longer passive and pliant, Katara's arms snapped around his neck with such abrupt force that he lost his footing, tumbling down on top of her. A quick motion and she'd flipped him to her other side on his back, leaning over him with a wicked smile. Hie eyes widened in shock at her temerity.

"You weren't asleep at all!" he accused. Long lashes blinked slowly as she plastered an innocent expression on her face.

"Are you going to complain or are you going to kiss me again?" she asked before taking the choice from him entirely by capturing his mouth with her own. His arms came up of their own accord to wind around her waist and pull her down against him, and the happy moan she made was matched by one of his own as she took the invitation to heart. At some point her legs tangled with his and they rolled over until he was the one on top, her arms refusing to release him any further than was necessary to shift positions. He was drowning in her – her feel, her scent, the little noises she made as they kissed. But then her mouth left his and began to run down over his jawline to his neck, his collarbone...when her her teeth closed on his earlobe and her hands slipped beneath his tunic to scrape her fingernails across his stomach, lower, lower - reality returned with a gasp.

"Katara...wait..." Part of him was cursing himself for calling their interlude to a halt, but the rational part of his mind was slowly reasserting itself. She sat up, a frown on her face.

"What's wrong?" she asked timidly.

"I just...we can't...I mean, really, we shouldn't – we're not married yet and I don't want you – I mean, I do want you...gods, how I want – wait, what are you laughing at?"

Sure enough, as he was trying to stammer out some sort of coherent sentence – a task made none too simple thanks in part to the fact that her fingertips were trailing over his abs and skirting across the waistband of his pants – she began to chuckle, soft little huffs at first graduating to full-blown laughter at the look on his face.

"I'm sorry, love," she managed to get out. "You're just so adorable when you're flustered." He sputtered some sort of response that just made her laugh harder before snuggling against him, her hands still warm on his abdomen. Still, she was no longer running her fingers teasingly along his skin, and for that he could heave a sigh of relief (mixed with a tiny bit of regret).

"You're going to drive me to madness, water wench," he said fondly as he nuzzled her hair. He didn't even need to see her face to know the smug expression she was sure to be wearing.

"It's not my fault," she protested quietly. "You're just so damned hot I can't think straight." She punctuated this statement with a long, slow kiss that left him spinning. Once she finally released him she sat up and grabbed her blankets. One quick movement and she was curled against him, her soft curves pressing against his side, and she'd drawn the covers over them both. He tried to sit up but was stopped when she reached across his chest to grab his shoulder and slam him back down onto the mattress.

"'Tara, I can't -" She cut off his protests with a fond glare.

"You're the Fire Lord. I'm your betrothed. And if you're planning to make me wait to have you until after we get married in a _year and a half_, the least you can do is let me sleep in your arms." The words were kind, even playful, but her expression was a mixture of love and determination and he knew he wouldn't be able to win this one. If he was honest, he wasn't really sure he wanted to win. Heaving a pseudo-resigned sigh, he settled himself into the pillows and pulled her closer until her head was resting on his chest and her arm was draped over his stomach.

"Fine, fine. You impudent wench." He felt her small chuckle.

"Yes. But remember - I'm your impudent wench."

Holding his love as they drifted off to slumber, his last active thought was that he had to be the luckiest man in the world.


	22. Chapter 22

Wakefulness snuck up as slowly as seasons, but after a moment of basking in unaccustomed comfort Zuko opened his eyes to gaze down at the girl curled up on his chest, her luxurious hair spread over her pillow, his pillow, his chest, and her shoulders. He could feel the pull of the rising sun, but it was nothing to her warmth. Her deep, even breathing was soothing; he could feel her heartbeat against his ribs. She was a miracle, and she was his. And he knew he'd done nothing in his life to warrant such a reward, but he was glad he'd decided to stop fighting it. A pleasant fantasy spun through his mind, a daydream of the two of them just sitting by the turtleduck pond in the Royal Garden, her leaning against his chest as they watched the kids feed their feathered friends. For so long he'd thought of restoring honor – honor he'd come to learn he'd never lost to begin with. After that he was worried about vanquishing the very real threat that was his father, and then he was occupied with starting the Fire Nation on the road to peace and recovery. For the first time in so very long, he was allowing himself to believe that things could work out. His arms tightened around his beloved and he buried his face in her hair for a moment, enjoying the feeling of home. Still, he knew that the day waited for no man, not even if he was the Fire Lord. Shifting ever-so-carefully, he slid out of Katara's warm embrace, smiling softly at her unconscious grumble of disapproval and the way she reached out in her slumber to draw his pillow closer to her.

He stood silently for a while just watching her sleep, idly straightening his clothing and brushing his hair out of his eyes. He knew she wouldn't rise for some time yet – if he weren't a firebender of surpassing strength, he wouldn't be awake either. The sun wouldn't breach the horizon for another hour. He sighed heavily, wishing he could just go back to bed, to sink back into her arms and close his eyes to rest. But duty called, and if there was one thing Zuko knew it was duty. Still, he didn't want to just let her wake up alone. He turned to look around her room, searching for something...yes! Perfect. A few moments, a little creativity, and a long, lingering glance at the woman in the bed and then he opened her door on silent hinges and stepped out into the hallway.

The expressions of her overnight guards (Famil and Granil, a set of identical twins that Zuko had the utmost faith in) were stoic, but he could see the amusement bubbling just below the surface of their silence. Had he been in another mood it might have irked him, but honestly, having just spent the night – however innocently – with the woman he loved didn't lend itself well to anger or frustration. He smiled easily, his eyes seeking out her door once more as though he could will the wood to transparency for one last glimpse.

"Let her sleep," he murmured softly before turning his eyes to theirs. "And make sure no one else disturbs her either. The Lady Katara will wake in her own time."

"Yes, Fire Lord Zuko," they replied in flawless unison. A final nod for them, a last smile in the direction of her door, and he turned to head to the royal gardens. It was time to meditate before beginning the day.

* * *

In a far-flung estate on the very edges of the Fire Nation isles, a man sipped a hot cup of tea and stared out at the blackness before dawn. Nothing would ever convince him that the path he had chosen was the wrong one. He only wished he could be so secure in the resolve of his reluctant partner.

Perhaps it was time to begin looking into...other solutions.

* * *

In the depths of a dungeon, a girl had a nightmare. This was nothing new.

No one knew about it. Likely few would care even if they did. This was nothing new.

A huddled, shivering form crouched in the corner of a stone-and-metal cell, completely oblivious to the real world, haunted by the memories that drove themselves with fervor into her sleeping brain like relentless fists. She was locked in their insatiable grip; lost within the depths of a madness that was neither of her own making nor within her power to heal. And so she curled against the walls, shaking with remembered pain and humiliation and fear indistinguishable in her mind from the current world she inhabited, a lost little girl in a realm gone to ruin.

This also was nothing new.

* * *

Katara had woken up from a lovely dream to greet a morning that had already dawned. She sighed happily, stretching and yawning, the light from the window sending gentle shadows through the gauzy curtains. To her delight the pillow she was holding still smelled like Zuko and she spent a moment pressing her face into the soft material and breathing in the familiar, comforting scents of smoke and spice and something that was unique to her husband-to-be. Eventually, though, the waterbender forced herself to remember that she should really get up and greet her day. There were many things she had planned. First on her list was a bath. She reluctantly relinquished her pillow, wishing he'd stayed long enough for her to wake up but understanding that she wasn't the only one in the nation with demands on Zuko's time. Still, a warmth flooded through her when she looked at the bedside table and saw the absolutely lovely picture of a rose he'd scorched carefully into a block of wood she'd been using as a doorstop. It wasn't very detailed, but somehow the simplicity of the image struck her as beautiful. Then again, she supposed the 'I love you' he'd etched beneath the picture might have had something to do with it.

In a decently short amount of time she was bathed, dressed, and ready to face her day. As she was debating in what order to tackle her projects, her stomach growled loudly.

_Okay, so first order of the day is to go get some food. I wonder if anyone else is awake yet?_

She stepped out her door and gave a smile to the twins. They would still be on shift for about another half an hour, after which Cazin and Baru would return for the day. At one point the constant guards had irked her, but now their faces were as familiar as her friends, and she made every effort to get to know them all.

"Famil, Granil – how are you this morning?"

"Quite well, Lady Katara," they said simultaneously, falling into step on either side of her as was customary. They had a habit of speaking like that; it made her chuckle.

"Well, feel free to take off a little early, if you want to. I'll be in the dining hall anyway, and you know how well guarded that is. It must be boring to just stand around outside doing nothing." She made the offer every morning she woke before their shift change, and as with every other morning they graced her with soft smiles and a rebuttal.

"Thank you for your kindness, but we must decline. It is our pleasure to see to the safety and well-being of the Fire Consort."

"I had to try," she said with a laugh, and their golden eyes laughed with her. By this point she'd reached the dining hall and, with a shake of her head and a nod of thanks she stepped through the doorway leaving her exceedingly diligent guards on the outside where she knew they would remain until their shifts were over.

The scents of breakfast tickled her nose and she followed them to the table where she sat down with a happy sigh. It seemed no one else was awake yet, and for the first time in forever she had a peaceful, quiet morning all to herself. She began to dip out her food – despite the fact that they were guests of the Fire Lord (and that she was now his Consort), they'd all established early on that they preferred to serve themselves. The palace staff had grudgingly acquiesced, so now instead of having someone else fill her plate and her tea, Katara cheerfully made herself a plate of fruits and yogurts and some sort of crumbly pastry thing she kept meaning to find out the name of but kept forgetting. There was a moment where she mused on how odd it was that no one else had made their way to the morning meal yet, but brushed it off as unimportant and focused her attention on eating. A few moments later she heard a muffled cough behind her. Despite the fact that she knew she was safe in the palace, the reflexes of war hadn't left her and she was out of her chair, water at her call, before she even saw who it was that had gotten her attention.

"Um...hi, Katara."

Slowly she let the water flow back into her pouch.

"Toph said you were back," she murmured quietly, unsure of the reception he was expecting...or the one she felt like giving. He seemed to understand, not stepping forward or making any move whatsoever.

"I...can we talk? Or is now not a good time?"

Taking a deep breath and expelling it slowly, she shrugged and motioned him over to the table. She sat back down and continued eating, watching as he sat across from her.

"You can have some breakfast if you'd like. There's plenty."

Silence descended as he picked absently at a the fruit plate, but as she watched covertly it didn't seem that he planned to actually ingest any of it. Oh well – I offered, she thought, trying to keep herself objective. She didn't like being so cold to her friend, but she didn't know what else to say. It became very awkward very fast. Finally, though, he spoke.

"I – I'm sorry, Katara."

She looked directly at him, seeing the remorse in his eyes but knowing that just because he was sorry it didn't mean he understood. He seemed to come to the same realization and continued without any further prompting.

"I was wrong. I shouldn't have just assumed that you and I would...well, that we'd be together after everything. I shouldn't have tried to force the issue, and I shouldn't have gotten mad at you and Zuko when it didn't turn out the way I thought it was supposed to."

"Do you even know why it hurt me so much, Aang?" she asked softly.

"Because I didn't ask you." It wasn't a questioning answer like she was used to – it was sure, certain, and that more than anything let her know he'd actually given some thought to this conversation. She sighed and set her chopsticks down.

"Exactly. Aang, I love you – but I'm not in love with you." He was going to speak, but she shook her head to cut him off so she could continue, finally getting to say all of the things that had been stuck in her mind for so long. "I want you to know that I didn't intentionally fall for Zuko. But it's not something I can change or control, even if I wanted to – which I don't." She sighed again. "I don't ever want to hurt you, Aang. You're one of my best friends. But I...I can't be something I'm not, someone I'm not. Not even for you."

"I understand. I didn't mean to hurt you either. I just...it did hurt. You telling me that you don't want to get married, and then throwing me out – and then I come back only to find out that you've agreed to marry someone else. And it would have been bad enough if it were anyone else, but it was Zuko and...I felt like you'd lied to me."

"Oh, Aang..." she breathed, sadness in her own eyes, but this time it was his turn to halt her speech.

"I just – I didn't know what to do. What to think. So I lashed out because I didn't want to admit that I'd been wrong in the first place. I mean, I'm the Avatar, right? I'm supposed to know how to deal with people, with situations. It's my job.

"And then I find out that I didn't know what was best. I didn't know what was right. And it made me wonder just how often I've been wrong in the past and not seen it because I didn't think I could be wrong. I...Toph kind of...well, she chewed me out yesterday."

"She might have mentioned that," Katara said softly, watching his eyes go wide. She decided she wouldn't bring up anything that the earthbender had mentioned to her and Suki after the fact. This was Aang's turn to talk, and if he wanted to tell her he would.

"She...she did? What did she – you know, it doesn't matter. She was right. I've treated you bad, and Zuko, and everyone. And I just want to say I'm sorry, that I'm really, truly sorry, and hope that you...that you'll still want to be my friend. I'll understand if you don't, but I really hope you do."

"Aang – of course I'm still your friend!" she cried out softly. "And it wasn't all your fault. I should have spoken up before. I should have at least told you myself. It was wrong of me not to – you should never have had to find out the way you did. It was all so sudden, from the day we got the idea to pretend to be betrothed until we decided to not pretend, to make it work. Everything's gone so fast. But that's an excuse, and I should have tried harder to talk with you before it all happened."

Her chagrined look was met with a hesitant, embarrassed smile and a quiet question.

"Do you really think I would have been willing to listen to you if you'd tried?" he asked, rueful amusement in his tone. After a moment of wide-eyed contemplation, Katara shook her head.

"Probably not," she said. His laugh was still a bit subdued, but it was there and she felt certain that they would be okay. In the next moment he'd stood and walked back around the table to stand in front of her.

"Friends?" he asked, holding his hand out for her to take. Standing up as well, she grinned.

"Forever." Obeying her instincts, she pulled him into a hug and they stayed that way for a moment, both immensely relieved that their friendship hadn't been damaged forever.

"I do love you Katara. A part of me always will, I think. But I'm not the right one for you." His voice was muffled against her shoulder, but he pulled back so she could hear him clearly. "I'm glad you found the right one. You and Zuko belong together, and you have my blessing, as both the Avatar and your friend."

"Thank you," she said, tears gathering in her eyes at his heartfelt declaration. He hugged her again before pulling away.

"So...breakfast?" he asked, an impish grin on his lips. Chuckling, they took their seats and dug back into the food.


End file.
